Plus&Minus
by Mara93
Summary: A Test. Two Strangers. Deep Dark Secrets. The Plus and Minus. The Supernatural World. Nathan Scott must seek out one person. That person is Haley James. What happens when he invades her life?
1. Chapter 1

_-**Plus&Minus+**_

This story has alternating banners by **Krystel** that you can view on my homepage.

This is a Nathan and Haley **AU** tale. The two of them are adults that haven't met…yet. This takes place about a year in the future or so, doesn't matter because it's AU.

**Rating:** M/ Mature for controversial and supernatural topics, language, violence, plus adult romance

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill and its characters are the property of Mark Schwahn and company. Some minor original characters my own creation

This tale was inspired by and NH pictures, a couple of movies, and lyrics from certain songs, most notably the bands **Led Zeppelin**, **Pink Floyd** and **The Smiths**.

Note: This will feel very mysterious often. Parts are vague with intention. You will have questions possibly forming in your head. Cliffhangers abound. Chapters are probably shorter than my usual. A rarity for me, I'm not doing much research for this one because I want it to be fresh and new. Many things in this story are made up in my head with tiny bits inspired by movies that I twisted to make it something original.

Big thanks to **Pat** for previewing this for me when I had just started writing it and needed some feedback on how it seemed.

Breaks: FF doesn't allow many types of symbols so I put O's in front of my breaks. They have no real meaning but the symbols between them have to do with the title of the story .

Ready to read?

Here we go…just remember, you're entering a very AU Nathan and Haley world.

O**_+&-_** O

**_+Prologue: Testing 1 2 3 4-_**

A few mature situations in this one of a sexual nature, very vague though

O_**+&-**_O

_**Twenty six years ago, when he breathed his first life, a condition was placed on…his life. **_

_**Growing up only half of what he wanted to be. **_

_**Thousands of years ago, a secret examination was created. Secret because only a select few knew of it, had participated in it. This examination in the many years past had led to happiness **_

_**As much as madness **_

**_This test…_ **

**_The one perfect test… _**

**_This one perfect…dangerous…test _**

**_A test that could be looked at as a gift _**

**_Or an invasion _**

**_This night… _**

**_In one dark dark room… _**

**_Three conducted it… _**

**_As far away… _**

**_A woman had no realization… _**

**_She was to be the center of it._**

O**_+&_-**O

**_One part good. One part bad. _****_Combined: _****_One Whole _**_**Plus and Minus: the coming togethe**r_

___O**+&-**O_

___"So how about it…want to come in?" _

___Feeling his lips whispering against hers, she inwardly sighed, but answered, "Sure." _

___O**+&-**O _

___Hands lifted. He was dressed in all black, a hooded cloak. Right across from him the other two were dressed similarly. He closed his eyes as the chanting began. _

___O**+&-**O _

___Feeling him pulling down at her dress, she lifted her hands to his face, pulling him in closer, even as her mind thought of what time she would have to be at work the next… ____Evening. _

___O**+&-**O _

___The two kept chanting. He let his head fall back, concentrating entirely on the task. _

___O**+&-**O_

___She moaned as he made his move. Gripping the sheets, she felt it. _

___O**+&-**O_

___The chanting was getting faster…faster. Still he kept his eyes closed, forcing himself to be patient. If anything fell out of place, one part did not go as planned, then the results would be faulty, perhaps…damaging. _

___O**+&-**O_

___Feeling him on top of her now, she looked out the window, noticing the neon flashing lights. This was the last time. She just had to tell him. Another reach for perfection… ____Turned to disappointment. _

___O**+&-**O _

___"There…there…" _

___Hearing their voices, he opened his eyes now. He brought his head down. He looked into the cloud of black and gray, seeing nothing. _

___"It's not working." _

___"Wait." _

___"Yes…be patient." _

___"That's his worst vice." _

___"Shut up." _

___"Both of you shut up. Look…see…" _

___O**+&-**O _

___Coming to completion…right…oh…there. She looked up at his smile, felt him pull her in closer. She let his arms wrap around her body and held on, with a bothered frown. _

___O**+&-**O _

___"What is that?" _

___"A room…somewhere." _

___"It's too blurry. I can't see…" _

___"Patience…patience…" _

___O**+&-**O _

___She sat up in the bed now, reaching over and picking up the remote. She turned the set on, hastily pushing at the buttons to bring the volume down. Stopping at an old movie, her head fell back with a bit of dreaminess, as the couple on screen began to kiss passionately, the woman not just moaning, but trembling with desire…with… _

___She reached for the remote again and flipped it off. ____"Love…that kind…such illusion. Sex is sex. Only half of desire." _

___O**+&-**O _

___"Look…a window." _

___"Someone's moving." _

___He sat up closer, trying to not betray his anxiousness. _

___O**+&-**O _

___Wrapping the dark sheet around her body, she stood by the window at first. Looking back at where he slept on the hotel bed, she quietly unlatched the sliding door, stepping out to the deck, keeping the sheet tightly wrapped around herself. ____Closing her eyes, she lifted her hand over her covered breasts. _

___O**+&-**O _

___It was clearer now. But the person was no longer inside. His eyes traveled, searched. _

___"There's another person in the room." _

___"In bed. This could be messy." _

___"That's her." _

___"She's not alone." _

___He shook his head with conviction. "That's her…she's beautiful." _

___They exchanged looks. If he made this too personal… _

___Of course it was incredibly personal, but for now he had to stay cool about it. _

___"She's right…she's not alone." _

___"I don't care." He focused deeply on her for another moment, before pulling the hood further over his head. His hands made a sweeping motion, his eyes closing. _

___O**+&-**O _

___Her hands kept moving, back and forth and then… _

___"Oh…" She gasped. _

___She wasn't alone. _

___O**+&-**O _

___They had turned away from him and the dark cloud of smoke, noticing how intensely he was staring into it…with his eyes closed. _

___"He's so set on that it's her." _

___"I know…but there is still the big question. However will we find her?" _

___"Well she is the perfect one. The answer is right there in the cloud." _

___"Yes…but that doesn't mean this will be easy. She could be miles away." _

___"I have a feeling…he'll find her anyway." ____She pointed to where he still stood with his eyes closed, his head slightly lifted. _

___O**+&-**O _

___She looked down at the hand that was suddenly there, knowing it wasn't__ his ____hand. It was too big. _

___"Oh…" ____She panicked, but felt the hands come together now, gently massaging her bared… _

___When had the sheet fallen down to her waist? ____Oh no matter. ____It was like they were whispering, the hands: It was all right. All right. _

___She couldn't help but relax, feeling warm arms wrap around her entirely, lips finding her neck. _

___O**+&-**O _

___"Hey…we have to break it." _

___He shook his head mindlessly, lost in a trance. "No…not yet." _

___The female voice came now. "Yes…now. If we keep it intact too long it will ruin it. Throw it in." _

___"NO." _

___O**+&-**O ____"Ohhh…" She had never felt this way before. Never…so…his lips. ____Whose lips…whose lips were they…who…how…oh… _

___O**+&-**O _

___"You'll frighten her away! Then you'll lose your chance. Break it." _

___"NO!" _

___O**+&-**O _

___Her hands fell weakly as a mouth she knew nothing of, a mouth that was stranger to her, began to suck. _

___"Ohhh…" She moaned, feeling the arms still holding her securely, upright. The mouth ravenous. _

___O**+&-**O _

___"Break it now. " _

___O**+&-**O ____"_

___Oh…" _

___Something like a mirror came before her. She had no idea where it came from. She stared in amazement as a dark clouded figure began to form in it…the figure standing behind her, lips on her neck, hands on her breasts. _

___But no face…she couldn't see any face. _

___Touching one of the hands, she started to turn her body around… _

___O**+&-**O _

___"He's gone. Throw it in." _

___"NO!" _

___It was too late though. _

___The image faded, the feeling…ripped apart by what they threw in. _

___He glared at them. _

___O**+&-**O _

___She gasped as suddenly it was gone, the mirror, the hands…the lips. _

___"OH!" She cried out and as she turned around was met by a pair of arms. _

___O**+&-**O _

___"Why did you break it?" _

___"Because we had to! You know that! It's only mirage." _

___He licked at his lips. "It was the most intense mirage ever." _

___They shook their heads. _

___"It wasn't real.__ Now…____is real. We don't have that much time." _

___"I'll find her." ____"What if you can't?" _

___He faced them with all seriousness. "I'll find her." _

___O**+&-**O _

___"Oh!" _

___She felt him reach for her. _

___"What is it?...Damn…what are you doing?" _

___She looked down as he reached for the sheet and wrapped her back in it, pulling at her hand to bring her back inside. _

___"You'll get pneumonia. Come on Babe…you're more sensible than that." _

___She frowned at his words. Oh yes she was Miss Ultra Sensible. Sometimes she just wanted… _

___"What were you doing out there?" _

___She stared in shock at his question. It wasn't him. It couldn't have been, but if it hadn't been him… _

___O**+&-**O _

___"You know, there is the possibility we got it wrong. We were missing one part." _

___"You said we provided the right substitute." _

___"We think we did. The matter stands, she wasn't alone." _

___"That doesn't matter." _

___"Of course it matters! You need someone true of heart. You know that! It won't work otherwise." _

___"She has the truest heart." _

___The woman watched as the other man clapped a hand down, throwing off his robe now, revealing black pants and a black button down shirt. She lifted her own robe away too, revealing a bright red short hemmed dress and red spiked heels. _

___"You don't know that." ____"_

___Right…you don't! You waited too long! You know how dangerous it is now…if this doesn't work. Just pick someone else. You've always had it easy with the women. You can make one feel it…the illusion and maybe that will be enough." _

___"No…I can't. The test…it proved it. She's the one." _

___"And what if she isn't? She was with another guy!" _

___"She doesn't care about him….well…I mean she doesn't love him. She cares for many. But she doesn't love him." _

___He still hadn't removed his own robe. He held it partly around his neck now, the hood down though, revealing dark dark hair. _

___"How the heck would you know that?" _

___"She told me." _

___They exchanged troubled looks. He had waited so long. They had told him to choose faster, to choose another who would have worked, would have been perfect if… _

___Well… ____Now… _

___Now there was so little time before… _

___O**+&-**O _

___It had been a dream? A dream. _

___No…no that couldn't be. It had felt so real and the sheet. It had really been pulled down to her…her waist. _

___"Babe…what's wrong?" _

___She turned to him now, let her hand fall from her once again covered breast. ____"We need to break up." _

___She watched him sigh tiredly. _

___"Oh man…" _

___"We need to. It's not right. It's just sex." _

___He faced her adamantly, kissing her mouth. "We made love." _

___She shivered, but continued firmly. "I didn't." _

___He grimaced at her, taking a step back now, hurt. _

___"I'm sorry." She spoke the words with little known emotion. _

___He shook his head, reaching for his clothes now. "I swear Babe. How did you get so cold?" _

___Holding herself tightly, she whispered so low he couldn't hear, ____"It's hard not to seem it when you don't know what real warmth is. When you have no family…except one. But if you really saw me…you'd know I'm not. I'm not cold." _

___O**+&-**O _

___"Are you crazy?!" _

___"She did. She told me…with her feelings, her body, she did. She's been hurt in the past." _

___They stared at him like he was insane. There was no way to learn that much with one vision. No way at all. He was talking nonsense. _

___The other was the first to speak. Maybe the test had been a mistake. Maybe that one missing part had skewed it. He'd never seen him like this before. Sure he was normally intense, but like he was now….it was too much. It would be better to look elsewhere. After all, it truly was only mirage. It wasn't set in stone that it would work. There would be others already willing ____That one even…no…too… _

___But if… ____Oh… _

___The man with his robe off, answered now. "Even more reason for us to step away from this. You'll find another." _

___He turned on him viciously. "You're the one who told me to go through with it…to take the test…well I have. She's the one!" _

___The woman spoke more calmly. "You don't know that. It very much could be a mistake. She wasn't alone. They're supposed to be with no one." _

___"She has no one…not really. She is alone." _

___"Not now." _

___"She will be." _

___"Listen…" _

___"She's the one. I know. I have to find her." He tore off his robe and stalked out of the blackened room. _

___They exchanged looks once more…troubled. _

___"What if it fails?" _

___"We can't let it." _

___She looked at him now with worry. "But what if it does?" _

___"We'll find another one." _

___"We won't have time!" _

___Hearing her anxious reply, he sighed and pulled her against him. "We'll find the time." ____Even if it had to be…that one…her. _

___Oh… _

___"But you saw him…he's so insistent it's her. I knew we shouldn't have done it. He's always been this way because he's only…" _

___The man sighed. "I know…half…I know." Seeing her normally cool expression now laced with worry, he pulled her against him. "If it's her that he believes is the right one, then we have no choice. We'll look for her." _

___"And what if she isn't the right one?" _

___"Well then he will know and with the ease he has with women, he can find someone else." _

___She faced him strongly. "This isn't about that. You know this is about more. The strongest thing there is. What if we fail?" _

___He looked down at her firmly, but tried to keep his voice gentle. "We won't Sister. We won't." _

___O**+&-**O _

___She was alone now. All alone. He had paid for the room for the night. She had tried to get him to stay, but she knew after his face at what she declared…there was no way he would. She hurt him. She hadn't meant to. She just didn't feel… ____Feel anything with anyone. ____Except during some crazy dream…illusion, whatever it was. _

___"Oh…why can't I just feel what I want to feel when it's real…when…" She complained to herself. ____Her body…her senses though, unable to deny. ____How real it had felt. ____How blissful. ____How… _

___Solid. _

___The total opposite of cold. ____It had made her body feel on fire… ____Her emotions… _

___Connected_

___O**+&-**O _

___He stepped outside, a tight grimace on his face. They had it easy. They didn't have to go through all this just because they were half… ____Because of… _

___Damn. _

___He gripped fiercely at the railing, closing his eyes. ____His hands loosened immediately as a face, a figure began to form behind his closed eyes. ____So beautiful. _

___"I know she's the one. I know…I'll win her love. _

___I have to."_

O**+&-**O

_**Thus it began… **_

_**The search for the other half **_

_**As beyond another force worked to make sure… **_

_**It never happened. **_

_**That the halves remained forever… **_

_**Separated. **_

_**Meeting of the bodies… **_

_**Maybe… **_

_**Of the hearts? **_

_**Never.**_

/\x/\

**_-Plus&Minus+_**

In this chapter: One incident of strong language and one somewhat mature situation. There are song lyrics. They are surrounded by + and - symbols. They are sporadically placed, scattered parts of songs, and they are from more than one artist. I will list the artists and song titles at the end of the chapter. There is one flashbabck at the beginning going through Nathan's mind.

___Ready to enter the darkness? ____Ha ha ha…_

Here we go…

**_+Chapter 1: _**

**_Bloody Mary-_**

**_When she was born it was without a connection. _**

**_It had been lost in a separating decision. _**

**_She knew nothing of what made her special…made her feel… _**

**_Half._**

O**+&-**O

___It is now two months and thirteen days later. The test's results have come to this:_

O**+&-**O

**_+When I woke up tonight _****  
****_I said I'm going to make somebody love me _****  
****_Now I know that it's you _****  
****_You're lucky lucky you're so LUCKY-_**

O**+&-**O

She was a bartender. He knew that because he had seen her for the first time two nights ago. All of them came then.

___"Okay…so why are we here?" _

___"I told you. She works here." _

___"And how do you know that for certain?" _

___"My informant told me." _

___"And who was that?...What are you doing?" _

___Both of them focused now on the woman with them. She had drawn completely away from their conversation in the noisy, but mostly sophisticated club/bar, and was now smiling at a group of men who were practically oogling her. _

___"Not even in here for five minutes and already you're having thought sex." _

___Dressed in a black halter and black jeans, she turned to the overly dressed man she had to call her twin brother. "I am not. I was just being friendly. You could learn a little about that. And how about loosening up some?" _

___He laughed now at his half sister's insulting remark to his half brother, her twin. Already five women had given him, the non twin half brother, their version of thought sex. _

___Thought sex was basically looking at a person long enough with deep thought that it was obvious…you were thinking how they'd be in bed. And they were thinking the same thing. At least that's what it was according to the sister half of the twins, who just happened to love men…dangerous men she called them. _

___The brother half of the twins was the smart one who though he was an easy lure for the female half, preferred to spend more time on…other things. _

___As for himself, he loved women, but right now…well…five women…and he wasn't interested in a single one of them. He was here for one reason. _

___One woman. _

___"So what does she do here?" _

___"I don't know…my informant wouldn't tell me. Wait a minute…there she is." _

___Shit, he thought. She's even more beautiful in person. Look how sensually she moves without even realizing it. Nothing was sexier than a woman who moved with flair, and yet made no conscious effort of it. As rare as that was. _

___"Where?" _

___"Over there. See…she's a bartender." _

___"Surrounded by mostly a bunch of Hot to F-K guys." ____"_

___Sis, using code for your swear words is almost just as bad as actually speaking the profanities." _

___"I said nothing." _

___"Give it a rest, both of you." _

___"Aren't you going over?"_

___"No…I just wanted to see her tonight. I'll come back alone." _

___His older sister pouted then. Well half sister. "Ohhhh…but I actually like it here. All the darkness. It's really chic without being mortal gloom and doom. I might even find a good less mortal one…if you get what I mean." _

___"Why don't you just pull down the top part of that thing you call a top and make it easy on them?" _

___"I'd swear you were jealous if you weren't my disgusting twin brother." _

___"That is just sick. Been watching your Cruel Intentions crap too much." _

___"I love the darkness of it. And look who's using the profanities now." _

___"Damn! See why I need to come without you two!" _

___"Blame it on her. I need to get back and finish what I was working on. Need to pick up a bat or two." _

___"You're kidding." _

___"No." _

___"Well why don't we just go to the local pet shop? I'm sure they're having a two for one sale on them. You know how in high demand winged creatures of the night are." _

___Oh…that was cold. So cold of her. To use it in mocking, the most lethal word ever created… _

___Oh… _

___"See…why do I put up with this? And don't mention that word!" _

___He grimaced at both of them…they still were like kids sometimes. During the test they had been all serious, all supportive. Now they were like two five year olds, even though they were nearly thirty. _

___He pulled at both of them now. "Come on…let's just get out of here." _

___The older brother spoke as they started leaving. "So what are you going to tell her when you come back?" _

___"Uh…I have something ready." _

___"Oh …that guy just gave me his number. Look it's written on the back of a cherry flavored lifesaver sex pack. Think it's too obvious? And actually I prefer strawberry. My experience in the past with cherry hasn't totally been satisfactory though I guess it also depends on- _

___"WOULD you please stay focused?" _

___"OH yes OH GREAT ONE…so what did little brother just say?" _

___"That I have something ready." _

___"Oh you're not going to…" _

___"Please say you're not thinking of… _

___"Well hey…it works!" _

___"Yeah…right…Bet you five to ten it gets you kicked out." _

___"You're on."_

He remembered now how he had answered.

O**_+&-_**O

Now it was two nights later and he was alone…all alone. Slipping on his dark glasses he started easing his way through the club to the bar. No way would he get kicked out. If anything…

O_**+&-**_O

**_+One…take control of me? _****  
****_…Messin' with my mind I wake up-_**

O**_+&-_**O

___"Well…helllooo…"_

Even as she rolled her eyes at the greeting, she asked the guy with a sweet voice what she could get him.

"How about some Sex on the Beach baby?"

___How about you go find a beach and take a swim in the ocean? I'm sure Jaws will love it. Fresh blood._ She turned back to him now with a slight smile. "Sorry _BABE_…we ran out of sex."

"No way."

"Yes…_WAAAAY_!" She responded sarcastically.

The guy bartender that was working on her left hand side started snickering. Haley was small and petite, but without a doubt could hold her own. And she wasn't half bad to look at. Of course he'd had the same girlfriend for almost three years now who he cared deeply for. And as for Haley, he had worked with her for a bit longer than he had known his girlfriend, but she was nothing more than a friend. Well…actually like the little sister he never had. Haley was special.

"I don't think that's funny." The man Haley had just joked with, complained now. He wanted a drink.

Collin sinckered more and scooted closer to Haley. "Hey Hales…we got a fresh supply of sex in the backroom." He gave her a playful grin.

Haley shook her head, but smiled back still. Collin was a good guy. He'd been there at Rendezvous since before she'd first started working there. And when she had first felt a little overwhelmed by the newness of the place, even after two years of previous bar work in a small tavern, he'd helped her get accustomed. Not only that, on nights when she had to stay extra late and he did too, he walked her home to her apartment just a few blocks away.

She winked at him now. "I'm sure we'll run out of it again soon enough."

"Can I get a drink please?"

Lifting a bottle in her hand and throwing it to land in the grip of her other hand, Haley smiled sweetly at the man who had called her baby. "Sure _Daaaarhling_…why don't I make you one of my ___Famous Fire Arousal Foreplays__?"_

The man, good looking, but a bit on the older side, shook his head at Collin. "What's she talking about? I've never heard of anything called that before."

Collin grinned. "Her own specialty. Don't pass it up. Just the show is fun enough."

"What do you mean?" The man started to ask, but stopped as Haley began…her show.

Haley smiled, beginning to mix the ingredients quickly, in total knowledge of how much of each part went in. She still didn't know how she had learned to do it, but after her first year of working at the tavern, her old job, she had suddenly started making up her own drinks. Now she had about four of them. But the Foreplay was her showstopper.

Because it really kicked things up.

O**_+&-_**O

**_+It's taken all these days to find you _****  
****_I tell you I want you _****  
****_I tell you I need you-_**

O**_+&-_**O

He watched her now, from the back, taking off his dark glasses for a second. She was such star quality, but not in a showy way. It was interesting. Her hips kept moving to the loud music of Kasabian playing, but she didn't shake them like she was some bar dancer. She just moved them in time with the music. She was wearing a black sleeveless dress, displaying some cleavage, but nothing overt, nothing to stand out. The dress reached just above her knees. Everything so simply classical. Her hair, golden cinnamon, and in loose curls, that she had pulled partly back from her face with a shining clip. Nothing fancy…nothing to stand out.

And yet she stood out beautifully. ___She was a sensual sensation._

O_**+&-**_O

**_+Take me to the edge again _****  
****_…I'm chasin' down the wolves to save ya-_**

O_**+&-**_O

Haley expertly continued to mix and pour just the right amount of each ingredient. Feeling the bottle coming close to hitting the ground on one throw, she willed it in her mind to stay in the air.

And caught it.

O**_+&-_**O

**_+I…the blood ain't on my face-_**

O_**+&-**_O

She didn't even marvel at it. Collin did though. "Shoot Hales…how the heck do you do that?"

"It's called flairing Collin, remember?" Haley winked at him playfully, but not with any real flirtation or meaning other than friendship.

She knew Collin's girlfriend, Marissa, and liked her. She too knew that the way she and Collin acted at the bar was just fun while working a sometimes very demanding job, that never slowed down. At least work always passed in a flash…sometimes so fast it made her head spin. The hardest nights were when she had to stay past closing time to help lock up the place.

Collin shook his head now at her answer. "No…come on. You know I don't mean that." He flipped his own bottle expertly. After all, he was the one who taught her how to do it…funny how the student had passed up the teacher. "I mean how you look like you're going to drop it. Come on Hales…you almost dropped that last one…and yet you caught it. Like you have ESP or mind control or something. Your mind wills it to stay in the air."

Haley stared at him for a second, at the sunny red haired man she was grateful to have as a friend, before she laughed. "Oh Collin, come on!" As she turned away from him though, giving the drink to the now fascinated customer at her bar magic and the delicious concoction she had invented, a slight grimace touched her face. She hoped the weirdness didn't get started here too. She didn't need that.

O_**+&-**_O

**_+Just wanted you near me-_**

O**_+&-_**O

He watched as she accepted the money from the now smiling man. His eyes stayed though on her hands, her arms. She was mixing another drink for a different customer. The bottle was flying in the air slightly. She had a good grip. She was fast. But once again not flashy, just very good at what she did. His vision tightened though as he noticed the bottle seemed to be falling to the floor and then…

She held it there.

Just not with her hands…

With her…

**_+The blood ain't on my hands-_**

O_**+&-**_O

"Does she know?"

___"Know what, Baby?"_

He lifted his glasses away from his face just an inch, before pulling them back over his eyes. The club was too bright in some places. He preferred the darkest of dark. Sunlight especially bothered him. It just irritated. And the flashing lights in here were a bit much at times. Even with the club's dark walls and sleek black / midnight blue furniture, he didn't like the flashes of neon light on the dance floor.

"Excuse me." He glanced at the woman with a disinterested look, before getting ready to push past her.

She stood in the way though. ___"Ohhhh Honey…you're excused anytime…to come my way…ha ha."_

"Sorry Miss, I need to get to the bar." He attempted politeness now with urgency.

"Oh…well I was heading there too."

___Oh really? And that was why you were headed in the opposite direction?_ Shit…he didn't want to deal with this now. Taking his glasses off, he looked deeply into the woman's eyes, before bending his head down and capturing her lips with his. She was definitely a looker, very hot if…

Just not at all what he was focused on now. She was a _distraction_ that he really just wanted to get rid of quickly. Slowly he pulled back from her, giving her another deep eye look, before he slipped his glasses back on coolly. Watching her speechless now, he smirked, but spoke in a slow even tone. ___"That's enough. Don't you think?"_

"Uh…yes…"

Seeing that the woman was now so flustered, he smiled at her, slipping his glasses off for another moment. "See that man over there…He's definitely in the mood to get you a drink. Why don't you go work your magic on him?"

"Oh…yes…oh…"

He rolled his eyes, but gently pushed the woman off in the other direction. Satisfied when he saw her start to talk to the man, he slipped his glasses back on. Amazing what one look could do.

O**_+&-_**O

**_+Just wanted you near me _****  
****_I tell you I want you _****  
****_I'll tell you I need YOU-_**

O**_+&-_**O

One look and a little lip action…anyways.

Focused on the front of the bar again, seeing her still so at ease behind it, once in a while moving to the music, but also expertly making drinks and making customers smile, he pushed his way through the crowded dance floor.

O**_+&-_**O

**_+You toss in a word-I'm your villain _****  
****_I see the passion emerge-I'm your villain-_**

O**_+&-_**O

As the music changed to a wilder Franz Ferdinand number, Haley put a little more step in her movements. Working easily next to Collin, she heard someone speak, a deep voice.

___"Excuse me Miss…"_

She half smirked at the polite words. "_Miss_…actually have a gentleman at the bar tonight, huh?" She exchanged an amused glance with Collin, but did not look back at the deep voiced customer. "So what can I get you _SIR_?"

"Blood."

O**_+&-_**O

**_+If I could laugh I'd love you _****  
****_If I could smile at anything you said _****  
****_We could be laughing lovers-_**

O**_+&-_**O

She didn't even flinch. "Bloody Mary it is." Starting to mix the drink now, she called back to him before reaching for a bottle and flipping it over. "How _Bloody_ do you want it?"

___"Blood."_

O**_+&-_**O

**_+I know what I am-I'm your villain-_**

O**_+&-_**O

Weird monotone still. Weird period. She kept it up though. "Extra Bloody it is." She finished mixing the drink quickly and efficiently. Turning her body back around to face her customer, she noticed just how good looking he was, tall, dark haired and…wearing black sunglasses? Probably some druggie or something. She pushed back a hair from her face and handed the man his drink. "There you go…extra bloody just like you asked."

"This is not what I asked for."

She stared at him now, grimacing tightly. "You asked for a Bloody Mary sir. That's what I gave you. That's five dollars even."

___"I asked for blood."_

Haley stared at him for a moment, before she broke out into laughter. "Oh you're a riot! Ha! What? Practicing to be Dracula for Halloween?"

The glass shattered.

**_+I don't give a damn if I'm your villain-_**

O**_+&-_**O

Haley jumped back. Even Collin stopped what he was doing. Haley stared at the shattered glass and Bloody Mary running all over the black sleek counter, before frowning angrily at the man wearing dark glasses, pointing now. "Okay look Weirdo…now you have to pay for the glass too!"

He smirked at her even as something bothered him. "But I didn't even break it." He enunciated his words clearly and slowly, almost as if talking to a four year old. ___"I-didn't-touch-it."_

Collin leaned in toward Haley now. He gave the guy wearing dark glasses a sharp look before whispering to his friend and co worker, "Hey Hales…you okay…you need any help?"

Even though she was half shaking at the answer she had just received…

___He hadn't touched it. Nothing touched it. The glass had just…shattered.____Like magic?_

Oh…no.

Haley answered Collin with a shake of her head. "No it's okay Collin…I got it."

Not totally believing her, but knowing she'd fight if he tried to keep helping, Collin nodded his head. "Okay…I got to go in the back to get a few things…_I'll be right back up front though._" He gave the dark haired man another sharp look before disappearing into the back room.

There were other bartenders around of course, but Collin was her true friend. Haley didn't know the others as well---

He reached for her hand now, the dark haired man wearing dark sunglasses that hid his eyes. He pulled her hand across the bar slowly.

"Hey-

Haley started to fight him, but felt his grip too strong, though oddly, not harsh, not rough. Oddly…gentle. "I'm sorry Miss Lady Bartender. It's just you've mistaken my order. I asked for blood…"

O**_+&-_**O

**_+I'm your villain _****  
****_…Ready on your belly… _****  
****_If you want to have fun-_**

O**_+&-_**O

Haley shivered.

He removed his glasses now.

She stared in fascination at eyes as blue and deep as the ocean. She tried to break away as they…

They seemed to stare into her. His next words…

___Oh his next words… ____They made her tremble._

As…

He ran his long fingers over her small hand.

She marveled at it. His touch was like ripples of water soothing scorched dry lands. A massage of wickedly gentle sensation against her skin. How could this be? He was only touching her hand. What if he was touching…

Oh …

Her senses lost in a trance, her mind screaming at her to pull back.

Her skin screaming to have more.

He traveled her soft skin…

**_+See you later…-_**

His words as they came out…

His words sent her body a-shiver.

___"But I'll settle for a taste of you."_

O_**+&-**_O

More to come…

Lyric Credits:

**Franz Ferdinand: **___Do You Want To_

**Franz Ferdinand:** _I'm Your Villain_

**Kasabian:** _Club Foot_


	2. Chapter 2

**-Plus&Minus+**

**Thanks:** Thank you for your feedback, putting this story on alert, and for reading. I appreciate it all! I'm a big X files fan etc...so it's a lot of fun having people be into this story.

___Here we go…_

_Chapter2**: **__**Dracula Freak**_

O**+&-**O

**_He was used to getting it all. _**

**_Everything. _**

**_Only one thing he lacked. _**

**_One thing he desired too wildly. _**

**_Refusing to see his other half. _**

**_All minus…he hadn't brought in the other part of the equation yet. _**

**_But there was one who might bring it to him… _**

**_Completing her half too._**

O**+&-**O

She shivered a little more…before a frown came to her face. It was hard, but she broke away from those piercing blue eyes and reached under the counter.

_Blood. Did he just ask for blood?_ Oh…and that wasn't all. _He wanted to taste her?_ Perverted psychotic sicko.

Her tone was deadly now. She wasn't one to throw out names and to be ultra tough. But she did have a very strong inner part inside her that contradicted her unassuming but pretty looks. She'd learned it over the years, how to avoid hurt, how to take care of herself. And she was not one to be walked all over on, even though her emotions sometimes too strongly held her hostage.

"All right. Listen. Dracula Freak! Either you let go of my hand now…or see this bottle…what's in it?"

She lifted up a bottle of hard whiskey in her free hand now. "It's going to make contact with your black silky GQ VERSACE crap pants and make it look like you had an accident in this bar. And that's before I use the bottle for batting practice."

Noting that she really meant it, he couldn't help but smile. Her toughness made her even more sensual and sexy. _What a beautiful work of creation this woman was._ Such softness in her and yet she was not a pushover. In her deep brown eyes was intellect purely from her inner mental ability. Her hair golden mixture of cinnamon spice, her form small, but femininely curved, those brown eyes big and knowing. It was a beauty that didn't start from the outside with the aid of artificial enhancement, but from the inside creating a fire on the outer. It took everything in him to not just grab at her face now and fasten his lips to hers. He truly _did_ want to taste her…a drive in him begging to know what it would feel like…_what she would taste of_. He wouldn't do it though. Wouldn't push and rush through like he normally did, too impatient to wait for the final culmination.

Oh no…not with her. He'd…_wait_.

He searched her face now, not even discouraged that it hadn't worked. It hadn't worked. ___It hadn't…worked?_

___Wow._

It always did. It never failed. Even with his siblings he often had the power to hold it for a short half of a moment. But with her…she escaped it. She didn't let him hold her in his vision. _Amazing._ Even the half hadn't dimmed that.

Truly Amazing.

He moved closer against the counter, his hand starting to slide back up the sleek black, just missing the rushing scarlet pool and shards of clear glass.

___"Maybe I am Dracula…a vampire. And I just want the sweetest taste from the sweetest woman in this place."_

She was ready for it this time. Now that he had let go of her hand, Haley rolled her eyes and called it out. ___"DIRK…I'VE GOT A LIVE ONE! HE THINKS HE'S DRACULA!"_

Nathan turned around now, seeing a huge muscled guy coming over to him. Okay, he wasn't a lightweight and he was tall at over six foot two, but this guy looked like King Kong's son. Something like seven feet of…Kong. _Uh, maybe he should have asked her for a kiss…handshake?_ Geesh…here came Kong's son.

_Damn._ And the worst part of it. His stupid brother would win the bet. He was getting thrown out. It really hadn't worked. She totally resisted it. She was like…immune. Strange, but all at the same…___sort of thrilling__._

He played it cool, bringing the golden cinnamon haired woman's hand into his again, giving it a slight whisper of his lips. ___"This won't be the last time we see each other Beautiful. Count on it."_

"Count on you're about to get your ass kicked!" Haley yelled back at him angrily, but seeing Dirk now there forcefully holding _Dracula Freak_, she started to panic some. Each time, even this last time, his words had been so invasive and freaky, but his touch…was so…so…

___Almost soft and giving._ Talk about powerful contradictions.

She fought with herself, before she grabbed at Dirk, her favorite bouncer from the club. "Hey…Dirk…don't do anything to him…okay? Just…get him out. ___Please. But don't uh…really…hurt him__."_

Dirk was a bit surprised at Haley's pleading need, but it didn't shock him that she didn't wan the man roughed up any. Haley didn't like violence and even with these creeps she still tried to avoid anyone getting badly hurt. It had created an instant soft spot inside Dirk for Haley. Even though she held her own well, he kept an eye out for her. Haley had that endearing quality. A total sweetheart the way he saw it, but so strong too. "I'll just show him the curb and then be on my way Honey…don't you worry."

Haley nodded her head as now Collin came out of the backroom and looked at her strangely. "Hey…what number did that guy just play on you?"

Haley shook her head, seeing _him_ take his glasses off now, looking at her. His eyes…even from so far away they were so…blue…deeply piercing. She turned away.

___"Haley?"_

Noticing that Collin's expression was concerned, Haley waved him off gently. "Nothing…no number Collin. Don't worry about it." She turned away quickly, forgetting the broken glass on the counter. Putting her hand down, she cried out as a piece of it cut into her finger…her skin.

Releasing a trickle of blood.

She stared at it for a second, before wrapping it in a white towel. Feeling eyes on her…___His eyes_

He watched as she wrapped her finger, before he felt Dirk reaching the door, still holding his arm roughly.

She stared at him for a second…before turning away, going to the back room to get a bandage for her finger.

Stained with red.

___Blood._

O**+&-**O

"So have you shared with Marissa your Dracula encounter tonight?"

Haley grimaced as the question was asked, feeling a bit of a sting from her injured finger now wrapped in a bandage.

"What?" The cappuccino colored haired woman asked that was walking on the other side of Collin. It was about two fifteen in the morning now. Haley and Collin had gotten off at two. Marissa had come to the club a little before to meet up with her boyfriend and share some conversation with Haley too.

Marissa, Collin's girlfriend with cappuccino colored hair, was a tall woman, that even wearing heels Haley found herself much shorter than. Marissa was a student working on her master's degree in social sciences at one of the universities in town, that town being a little bit outside the Manhattan area of New York City.

Haley lived a bit on the outskirts in the funkier and cheaper village parts, convenient, since it was a few blocks away from Rendezvous. Also convenient because it meant she got an escort on nights she worked very late, like this one. Usually when she had these later shifts, Collin did too. They'd somehow managed to get their schedules to coincide with each other's most the time. It was nice because then not only did they get to work together, but also Haley preferred walking with her friend to taking a taxi home. Friendly conversation and comfortable safety created a strong combination of contentment and reassurance.

Marissa had been a bit of a tense area in the beginning. When Haley had first started working at Rendezvous, Collin had not been seriously dating the tall beautiful woman yet. When they had started dating, Marissa also started coming to the club to be with her boyfriend many nights, acting cool and distant with Haley. That had been until Haley grew tired of it and took the woman aside one night, explaining though she considered Collin a dear friend, it stopped there. A few more visits from Marissa, quiet still, and then it just happened, they started talking, sharing with each other, and before Haley knew it, she and Marissa were friends too. It was relieving to her now as the three of them walked together. It meant she didn't have to feel awkward about a friendship that was special to her.

Friendship had been something for years that Haley had very little of in her life. It still was pretty much like that. Though there were many regulars at Rendezvous who liked her, she hadn't built up any real bonds with them. It was easier in a way to just communicate with them at the club, and leave it there. She wasn't one to hang out with other females that much. And most of her relations in general tended to come and go. Collin was a nice exception that she hoped would stay that way, and even maybe Marissa, who she liked talking to a lot now also. It was all fine, as long as she kept a bit of distance. People had disappointed her in the past. And though it hadn't made her bitter or unwilling to reach out to anyone, it had made her cautious.

"What's Collin talking about Haley?" Marissa asked her now as the three of them walked to Haley's apartment. It relieved Haley to know that Marissa didn't mind it at all. In fact, after she and Haley had started being friends, Marissa had insisted on it, saying that someone needed to watch out for her.

"Oh…" Haley frowned at Colin now before answering the question as they walked down one last street, the one with her loft apartment. "It's no big deal. There was just this total psycho tonight. Gorgeous, but psycho. He's all ordering blood and then saying he wants a taste of me or something like that, oh and dressed like Manhattan yuppie's finest, just a real dark version of it. So of course I had Dirk throw him out."

Collin laughed now. "Yeah…practically cape and all, right Haley? Vampire Yuppie!"

Haley absentmindedly nodded her head, looking down at her finger again in the dark, the streets lit partially by the overhead lamps shadowing the blood stain that lay beneath the bandage. "Yeah…well more like some stupid overcoat or whatever…Dracula Yuppie."

Marissa half laughed now, shaking her head. "What a guy to get hit on by!"

Haley sighed. "Yeah."

"But he was gorgeous, huh Hales?" Collin asked her now with a wink.

Haley grimaced. _Had she said he was gorgeous?_ "Can it Coll."

He laughed, but stopped as Marissa hit at him. "Hey!"

"Leave my girl alone. You guys laugh at these things and it's like there's nothing worse than being hit on by a total jackass."

Haley smiled at Marissa. "Exactly."

"Hey Haley…what happened to Bobby? He was really cute!"

Haley sighed as she heard the name of the guy she had been dating a few months ago, her boyfriend actually, until one night after sex, lovemaking for him, she had let him know how much it was only sex for her. That hadn't exactly sat well with him. She couldn't be blamed though…_entirely_. That night had been just…weird.

Strange…almost like this one. "We broke up. It just wasn't working out."

She felt both Collin and Marissa watching her now before they gave each other a glance. Haley ignored it, looking and seeing her apartment in the closer distance now. It was a mostly brick building on the outside, nothing fancy or great, but nice for the area she lived in and inside it was a pretty good sized loft, with a view from her small rooftop balcony of the city. _It was a home…hers anyway._ And it had a really nice landlady, even though she was a bit eccentric…and old.

Hearing the two of them whispering about something now, Haley walked a little ahead, feeling slightly out of place suddenly. But then she heard Collin's voice as he pulled back a bit at her arm.

"Oh man…Hales, Marissa was reminding me. I feel awful now. We've got tickets for the theater tonight so I took the night off work. But your shift is till two again, right?"

Haley looked over at him now. "Yeah."

Marissa spoke next. "That's really late for you to be walking Haley. Can you take a cab?"

"Yeah…sure." Haley wasn't crazy about working nights late without Collin. They were rare and few thank goodness. But she also wasn't terribly scared to walk the city streets at night. She did it often with…

"Hey…maybe Jack will let you bring Bear."

Haley laughed at that dryly. "I doubt it! Come on Collin it's a club! Where's he going to stay?"

He smiled at her weakly. "In the backroom. Dirk loves him. He'll spoil him rotten."

Haley shook her head as they were now just a few buildings down from her apartment. "Yeah, and last time I brought him…_the first and the very last time_…Dirk nearly got fired for watching him more than for creeps. I don't think so Collin."

He nodded his head now, looking a bit troubled.

But then…

"Hey I know. Trade with Gloria. She's working an early shift. You can get out a bit earlier at least. I'm sure she'll be game."

Haley shook her head now. ___"Uh…yeah."_

She and Gloria weren't exactly friends. Rendezvous had two women bartenders, Haley and Gloria. Though Gloria had been there longer, Haley was the more popular one. A fact that Gloria didn't exactly like. On the nights that rarely came when they ended up with shifts together, Haley had to endure the woman's jealous little barbs. She mostly shook them off. Haley was very good at keeping focused on her job even with a bratty coworker bugging her. She simply ignored her and did what she was paid for, bartending. Still, it didn't mean she _liked_ working with the woman.

"I'll see."

Haley didn't tell Collin that she doubted Gloria would ever trade places with her as now they reached her apartment. She knew how protective he was and she didn't want to worry him over nothing.

Collin smiled at her. "Good…I'd feel better then. I'm so sorry Hales…totally forgot."

Marissa teased her boyfriend lightly. "Yeah…you know he has the worst memory Haley. That's why I'm the one who is keeping the tickets for the show."

Haley laughed quietly. "Good thing Marissa. Well, here's my stop. I hope you guys have a great time…tomor…" It was sometimes still hard to get used to that when she got off work it was often the next day already. "Well…tonight."

She half joked now. "Just bring him back to me Marissa. Too many shifts with Gloria and I'll go insane."

All three of them laughed now. Haley gave the couple a friendly hug before running up to her apartment door, giving one last wave before heading in.

Once inside she took the steps, two flights to her home abode. Reaching for her key now, she walked up the plain, but mostly open steps, small windows on each flight, but nothing really that special. It wasn't until you reached each loft that the big windows came. Reaching hers now, she turned the key into the deadbolt lock and closed the door behind her, making sure to lock it. Stepping inside her home, she reached for the light switch. It brought to life a tastefully almost southwestern style decorated living room, with a bit of shabby chic too, creating an interesting mixture. Making her way to an earth colored striped futon, Haley sat down, kicking off her heels and curling her legs onto the comfortable cushion. _"Ohhh…"_ She stretched her arms up now, calling out softly. It was very late and thankfully her apartment building wasn't a noisy one late at night. Most the residents worked hard and played during times that were appropriate. Or at least they played quietly when it was late.

"Bear…hey Babe where are you?"

A few moments later a heap of black, silver, grey and white fur came running out to the room. She smiled at it and brought her hands out. "There you are!" The large malamute husky mix dog, nearly the size of a lesser bear, and rumor had it touched with a smidgen of wild wolf, barked softly before jumping onto the futon. Haley hugged him.

"Mmmmm…time for some sleep…oh yeah." She nuzzled at the dog's ears before getting up and heading to her bedroom. The dog followed.

As he did, it became apparent by just his physicality that Bear did not display everyday dog features. His large build, facial wolf-like appearance, and strong green eyes made him impressive to even the biggest men. But of course! _Dirk had loved him…ha ha._ Bear's physical strength added to his protective nature towards his owner too. But behind all that, at heart, was a loveable and extremely loyal companion. They had gone through some shared hard times…together. It had made them inseparable.

Haley patted at Bear's black and grayish white head, before taking out light green pajama pants and a matching long sleeved shirt. Reaching down now she ridded herself of her nylons.

She stopped though as Bear started barking.

Haley spoke to him firmly. "Hey…you know better than to bark loudly this late. Quiet down Bear."

He looked at her, looked at the living room, and then trotted out. She watched him curiously before continuing her task. Reaching backward for the zipper of her dress, she brought it down and let the black material fall to the floor before scooping it back up along with the nylons. She threw both in a beige colored hamper. Reaching for the front clasp of her bra, she unfastened it, letting that fall to the floor too. Starting to put her pajama shirt on now, she heard Bear bark again. It made her frown. This was totally not like him.

And then it just stopped. She heard not a sound from him. She wondered at that. ___Strange._

Shaking her head now as Bear came back into the room once again looking pretty calm, she pulled the pajama top on over her head and brought it down to cover her stomach.

"Mmm…that's better. Now what's with you, huh?"

She lifted at the dog's chin, and with her other hand deposited her bra into the hamper also.

"You want to go for a walk? Well too late for that. You want a snack? Also too late. I'm going to get a little milk and then you and I are going to sleep so you can stop acting all wacky, got it?"

She gave the dog one last firm, but affectionate look before she headed out to the living room and then to her small but warm, light green and yellow kitchen. Taking out a glass from a cabinet and a carton of milk from the refrigerator, Haley started pouring herself her nighttime drink, humming one of her fave Beatles songs.

"La da dee…oh blah dah…oh blah dee life goes on…braaaahhh…la da da da….life goes on…"

___"So not only can you dance and pour drinks. You're a singer too? A woman of many talents…just what I desire."_

The milk hit the floor. The glass nearly did too, but somehow she saved it in time.

And as for that carton of milk…

Lifting a finger, he watched the liquid go back into the cardboard carton and then smiled with satisfaction at the cleaning of the potential mess that now was a thing of the past. Curiously too he watched her save the glass…with her mind.

He looked away from it now, seeing her staring at him with wide eyes. His lips curved slowly.

___"Why so shocked Beautiful? I told you that wouldn't be the last time we saw each other."_

O**+&-**O

_More to come…_

Feedback always adored.

___Haley's song lyrics credit: _**The Beatles**

Ah…a cliffhanger yes. I love having people read this here, and will update soon, but if you don't want to wait, I do have more chapters of this up at my homepage. Also, I'm currently working on a new chapter for this story. So however you prefer to read, enjoy and thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**-Plus&Minus+**

_Chapter 3:_** _Alone with a Stranger_**

Thank you for the feedback, keeping this story on alert/fave list and for reading. I appreciate it all!

**Content Message:** some language in this one and mild violence

_Into the darkness once again…_

**I+&-I**

**_She grew up with questions. _**

**_He grew up without satisfaction. _**

**_She wanted answers. _**

**_He always wanted more. _**

**_Never feeling a place to fully belong in… _**

**_Never feeling a place to fully belong in… _**

**_A feeling shared. _**

**_A stranger's mission can only be hurt…pain…invasion? _**

**_Yes. _**

**_But what if the stranger on the outside is really no stranger at all? _**

**_What if… _**

**_They are the other half. _**

**_Of You_**

**I+&-I**

She stared in shock now. _He was in her apartment._ Dracula Freak was in her apartment and she had no friggin' idea how he had got in here. OH…and had he seen her undressing? She had mostly kept her back to the living room, but had he been watching her…had he?

Hearing him still speaking, she had to force herself to even breathe.

"Yes…I did tell you that as I was being thrown out by…_your friend_…who wasn't too rough really. Although he did leave a stain on my suit." He gestured to a smudge on his overcoat with annoyance, before with a sweep of his hand…he made it disappear.

Haley backed up against the counter now, signaling to her dog. "Get him Bear!" Her eyes didn't leave him though. The dark haired man from the club. The Dracula Freak…now invading her home.

She called out a strong warning now, knowing she had a stronger protector than this psycho realized. Bear wouldn't let her down. He'd be attacking him any second. "He's vicious to anyone who hurts me. He'll hurt you. So just…you better leave now. He'll tear you to piec-

Her words fell apart though as she noticed it. Her strong protective dog was not doing anything at all to scare away Dracula Freak. In fact, Bear had actually moved to lay down at his feet now with a small mewling sound. Haley stared at it with fascination, before she realized her protector had just turned into a puddle of goo at this stranger's feet.

That _NEVER_ happened.

Keeping her eyes on the strange man, she reached in back of her, finding one of her kitchen drawers. She quietly searched it with her hands, finding her largest knife. Holding it behind her back, where he couldn't see it, Haley weakly called out, still stupefied at the way her dog was acting. "He really is vicious." She tried one more time. Bear simply remained laying on the floor, looking very sedate. Haley cried out with desperation, "Bear, get up!"

The dog rolled over onto his back. Nathan smiled down at it, rubbing the dog's stomach contentedly. "Yeah, I can see he's vicious. Real police dog, this one."

Haley held _it_ out in front of her now as she saw…uh…Dracula Freak…start to get up. "Don't you dare take a step closer. I swear…I'll use this. I'll scream bloody murder you psycho. Just get out!"

Seeing her mouth opening now as she waved that butcher knife around, Nathan moved fast. If he didn't do something she was going to wake up the entire building and use that knife to turn him into mincemeat. That just wasn't satisfactory.

Removing his dark glasses, he locked his eyes with hers. It was once again only a temporary hold, but it was enough. Getting up, entirely now, holding her still for a slight second, Nathan used that second to make his way to where she was standing trying to threaten him. His hand made contact with her mouth. He held it firmly there and grabbed her wrist, knocking her weapon to the floor, before he stood in back of her, now holding her mouth closed while his other arm locked the front of her body in a firm grip.

Haley panicked, getting ready to kick, but feeling so vulnerable because she was only in her pajamas and didn't even have slippers on, no high heeled shoes to smack against his feet…nothing really. She still had no idea how he did it. How he managed to get the knife away and cover her mouth too. Scratching at his arms, she desperately tried to yell out to her dog that still was not moving. It was too weird…too strange. _"Bear please…Bear!"_

Her voice was muffled under his hand, but he could tell she was trying to scream out. He watched the dog start to tense up now, reacting to her desperation, and even the muffled sound of her voice. The animal cared about her a lot to already be breaking free. Nathan gave it a strong look and watched the dog relax some, sitting. He smiled. Feeling her struggling though, feeling her shaking even as she desperately fought at him, her hands trying to claw at his arms, Nathan brought his lips to her ear. "Calm down Beautiful…I won't hurt you. It's okay. Calm down."

He smiled down at the dog now too, seeing even though with its temporarily sedated condition, how anxious it was. "It's all right…Bear. I won't hurt her. It's okay."

Haley still fought at him, even as his voice seemed to have this soothing power. She tried to get away from him. Reminding herself that this was some demented stranger who broke into her apartment.

His voice grew even softer. A gentle whisper.

_"Calm down…____it's okay…relax__."_

Even as her mind fought at it, Haley's body started to feel very peaceful…very…

He kept whispering in her ear, closing his eyes and moving his lips near her skin. ___"That's it…that's it. No more weapons, no more thoughts of screaming, okay? Nothing's going to happen. At least nothing that you don't want to happen."_

Haley sagged against him.

Nathan smiled, letting her go now. She was completely relaxed and calm. Now he could get her to listen to him while-

Her eyes traveling backward, Haley reached for it and swung with all her might.

"DAMN!"

Nathan let out as he felt something hard make contact with the side of his head. He reached for it with his mind, but it was too late. She had already used it to hit him…_hard_. Feeling her getting ready to go for another round he struggled to control the damn thing with his mind. "Shoot…woman!"

Haley held the pan firmly still, surprised at the force that had kept her from hitting him again, but ready to fight it if she needed to, to fight him. She raised the pan higher now over her head, speaking to him in a fierce voice, totally uncaring of the fact that she was nearly a foot shorter than whoever this psycho creep was. Time to let him know she may be small and somewhat innocent looking, but that didn't mean she was just meekly going to let him invade her home. This was about fighting back…taking control. Asshole wasn't going to grab her and get away with it...work his voodoo on her dog. ___UH Uh…uh…brother!_

"Touch me again and I'll turn you into pancake! And I don't know what the heck you did to my dog but you have one minute to explain yourself Dracula Freak before I use every object I have in this kitchen to make you sorry you ever came here. And I'll start with injuring your most precious part! This is MY home…you Voo Doo Weirdo!"

He took a step back now, rubbing at his aching head. That pan was hard edged and very thick. His struggled to keep his focus on her though. The woman was pissed. It made her look so strong again. She was small, petite, even more-so now with the simple earthy feeling sleep attire she was wearing, lacking the heels of earlier, but she was one little dynamo still.

___Like she was edged with wicked fire. So hot._

"And don't you try that stupid eye trick with me again because it won't work you sicko psycho!"

He smiled at her curiously even as he still rubbed at his aching head. Really was starting to bother him actually. "Yeah…I noticed that. Strange. Though I guess I shouldn't be too surprised considering the circumstance. _Uhh_…"

___Damn…his head was really hurting…a lot. And she…were there two of her now…why was the room starting to get so foggy?_

Not even _it_ would help him now. Dizziness was a result of having a hard object making contact with your noggin. Nathan gripped at the counter, his vision blurring, the side of his head throbbing and becoming louder than even her frantic angry voice. He felt himself sliding downward. He didn't even try to fight it, falling to her kitchen floor A weakened moan escaped his parted lips, the pain in his head now louder than even the clicking of the clock overhead. ___"Oh damn…ohhh…"_

"What do you mean strange? What the heck are you talking about and what are you doing here…_uh…why are you falling?_ What's wrong with you…uh…gorgeous psycho guy what's happening to you?"

He moaned in answer, his head falling against his legs. Maybe if he just kept his eyes closed the ringing would stop. That hammer would stop pounding his head. ___Oh man__._

She stopped and just stared at him now. "Uh…hello?"

___Nothing._ Not a single reaction. His head was halfway down, one hand holding at the floor, the other shaking as it held onto the injured area. She bit down on her bottom lip and looked at her dog whose head was half turned as he watched the strange man. Looking away from both of them now, she noticed the phone on the counter…the phone…the phone.

___Yeah._

She ran to get it.

Nathan sat up now slightly, watching her curiously. Seeing her reaching for the phone, waiting and then saying she wanted the New York City Police Department, he panicked. Raising his hands, he tried to cut the conversation off, causing a very unexpected result though instead.

___"Ahhh!"_

Haley started to scream out before slapping her hand over her mouth as the phone exploded in her hands, falling to pieces down to the floor.

Nathan just stared. It wasn't supposed to happen like that. _Was this part of it?_ His ability getting worse and worse? Damn. He moaned, his head rolling back against the lower counter, his eyes closing.

"You freak! You ruined my phone! I have a cellphone too you know!" She started to run to get it, but then heard him moan again, this time a little more loudly. Haley stopped in her tracks, looking back at him. "Uh…are you okay? Dracula Freak? Gorgeous Weird Psycho guy?"

Nothing.

Haley bit down on her bottom lip tensely, seeing a shaking hand rubbing at his head, but his eyes still closed and his face fallen. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.

"Ooooh…"

Haley battled with herself. This was a home invader. This was a man who sickeningly came onto her in a pretty freaky way in Rendezvous and followed her home, taking her hostage in her own residence…well practically. She should not feel bad for him. She should definitely not help him. ___She should certainly not go over to him._

But she felt herself doing just that now as she grabbed at Bear's collar and cautiously approached the moaning man. Getting down on her knees, she peered lower, giving a firm warning. "I don't think whatever you did to my dog before is going to work now so you better not be thinking of anything stupid because he'll use you as a chew toy and…I'll just hit you again."

Opening only one eye, Nathan spoke to her in a clenched voice. "_Please Beautiful_…chew toy I can handle, but not that pan of steel. Were you a big burly guy shot putter in another life? Thank goodness I found you in this one. Male shot putters aren't my type. And am I delirious…or did you call me gorgeous earlier?"

"Shut up." Haley angrily spoke to him now, before bringing her hands to his head. She moved at some of his dark almost raven hair, seeing a good sized bump. Pressing at it…

___"Shit…owww…"_ Nathan gripped at the patterned linoleum.

She moved her hand away and got up from the kitchen floor, ordering Bear to keep watch. Satisfied as now she noticed the dog back to his regular protective-wary-of-strangers-self, she reached into the freezer and brought out an icepack.

Nathan looked up slightly, seeing a large blur of black, silver and gray fur with two sharp green eyes. He moaned and looked away. He couldn't focus on anything now, just wanted to end this throbbing. His head began to fall as he felt it…gentling hands and then something cold against his head. He moaned again softly, holding at her hand.

Haley looked down at him, seeing his eyes open. Amazing blue again…just very tired looking now. She frowned as she felt his hand come over hers. "Don't touch me. You hold this thing to your head and explain to me what the heck is going on. Get up and tell me…what are you doing here! What was that stupid sick line in Rendezvous about? Who are you? How did you get in here? What did you do to my dog before? And the phone…what was that all about? ___Talk, Dracula Freak!__"_

Feeling her yanking at his arm, Nathan tried to protest, but she wasn't letting go. He felt himself amazingly being pulled up. The standing did him in. His hand lost hold of the ice pack as his other hand desperately grabbed at the counter for some stability. If only he could just sit…go to sleep…anything. Just…_damn_. He leaned over heavily on the counter, his head falling into his hands. It was just a pan…___oh man__.____His head felt like a semi had run into it._

Worry filled Haley's face as she saw Dracula Freak's hands shaking, his legs barely standing now as he totally used the counter for support. She swore, picking up the ice pack, holding it against his head and this time a little more gently holding his arm, and leading him to the futon in the middle of her living room. "Ohhh…I'll probably regret this! You better consider yourself lucky. You know what…I'm not doing this to help you though. Oh no…I just don't want to end up on Judge Henrietta whatever because you're suing me for hitting you while you were breaking and entering. Those stupid shows twist everything…you'd probably make yourself look the victim…wouldn't you?"

He had lifted his head now. He was staring at her, a small half smile forming across his mouth. "You just go on and on…don't you? It's entertaining."

Haley pointed a furious finger at him now, glaring. "If you're going to talk you better start explaining yourself. I swear I will call the police if I have to. You better not be thinking of doing anything stupid. Bear will attack . He's a malamute mix of…well other things, including a tiny bit wolf. Do you hear me? WOLF. _(Of course it was only rumored, but uh…HE didn't know that.)_ And he will defend me to the hilt so you better not try-

Nathan cut her off with a half chuckle. "You've proven your worth Beautiful. You don't even need Bear to defend you. Do well enough on your own. And whether you believe it or not the _last_ thing I came here for was to hurt you."

Sitting upright on her couch, stiffly, as he had his head against a pillow she had placed in back of it, Haley just stared at him, blurting something stupid out. "My name is Haley." _Why the heck did you just tell him your name?_ "It's getting kind of freaky you calling me beautiful." ___Oh that's why. Still not a very good reason._

He smiled at her now, feeling her hand still holding the ice pack to his head helping to bring down the throbbing. "Ha-ley…hmmm…suits you."

Her face wrinkled slightly in question. "Why do you say that?"

Nathan shook his head slowly, before giving it up. Hurt too much. "Just…it's a little blend of what you seem to be. Kind of…" He looked around the apartment before his eyes focused on hers again. "Earthy…kind…gentle…and yet strong…beautiful really."

She blushed before looking away. "You need to tell me what is going on. All your compliments…I've been complimented plenty of times. I work in a club/bar…I hear all the flattery there, believe me, and it gets old after a while."

___"But you are beautiful."_

"Stop it." She answered him firmly. "I don't need to be told I'm beautiful by some weird stranger. There are other things that matter to me." ___Yeah…like who the heck he was…how he had done…what he did…and what the crap he wanted with her?_

Nathan just stared at her for a moment, seeing after a bit she meant it. She was above flattery. "Okay." Seeing her bandaged finger now, he reached for it and frowned with what looked like regret. "Is this from the Bloody Mary glass? I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to break it…really." _He hadn't._ It had been another case of things going awry that before he would have done without much difficulty.

And now he was apologizing over and over. He never apologized.

Haley pulled back at her finger, warning him now. "I told you not to touch me." Her voice rising, she heard Bear growl. His whole demeanor back to normal.

Nathan looked over at the dog, seeing he was more than ready to protect this woman, his owner. He smiled calmly at the animal. "Easy Bear. I told you I won't hurt her."

"You're upsetting me and he doesn't like that."

"How have I upset you?"

Haley let out a loud ironic laugh, shaking her head. "Are you kidding me? You act like a freaky psycho in Rendezvous. You come to my house and hold me hostage. And I still don't know if you're Dracula or…well…whatever…"

He stared at her for a bit, before his hand found her wrist. He pulled at it, tightly, but not roughly. Locking his blue eyes with her deep brown ones, he didn't break contact once. ___"What if I told you I was Dracula? Or maybe his apprentice. And that causing you hurt was the furthest thing from my mind. Pleasure the closest. I mean really…why must a vampire be such a dark horrid thing? Why Haley?"_

Shivering, she answered, the icepack stilled in her hand. "Because they're blood suckers!" ___Oh holy…was he a vampire? Oh come on Haley…oh this was crazy! Ohhh…_

He felt her pull desperately away from him. He let her go immediately.

Haley ran forward, her vision in line with one of her large windows that overlooked the night skyline. It was very dark now, except for bits of illumination. Most people were sleeping…safely in their beds. Secure…

Nathan got up slowly, feeling the pain in his head alleviated more now. He quietly put down the ice pack on a small table in front of her futon. Facing forward he started to step closer…

Hearing his footsteps, she wasn't sure what to do. She should run…run far away. Run.

___Oh…he was there._

Nathan slid his hands halfway around her waist, but moved them no further. Pushing his chest a bit against her back, he brought his chin over her shoulder…

His lips near her neck…

And raised a finger.

The lights went out.

She got ready to scream. ___Oh God, was he going to start sucking on her neck?_

He whispered in her ear though instead as the darkness alleviated a bit. The lights from the city glowed even brighter now over their forms, becoming like a dim lamp inside the room. ___"Shhh…I'm not going to hurt you. I already told you that."_

"L-let go of me."

Hearing her voice shake, he quickly did as she asked.

Haley stared at him now in the darkness. This stranger…this perfect stranger. Pefect…stranger…

___Something swam in her senses suddenly, something that made her command him to do something…outrageous to her mind._

"Put your hands back around my waist. Wait…no…in front of me. Put them around…like this." _What was she doing?_ Her mind was screaming as a back part of her couldn't let go of something. It made her reach for his hands now, made her need this.

Staring at her at first, Nathan did as she asked, gently turning her around and wrapping his arms around the front of her body. Haley held at one hand and…

___"Oh God…oh…why do I feel…why is this so familiar?"_

He brought his chin down even more against her shoulder. ___"You remember this?"_

She turned to him, still in his grip, tight, but not at all hurting her. "Do you?"

___"Maybe."_

Feeling his lips whisper against her neck, Haley trembled the words out. ___"Are you really a vampire?"_

He slid the word out. ___"Maybe."_

She faced him more. ___"Are you going to hurt me?"_

He shook his head quickly. ___"Never."_

___"What is your name?"_

___"Nathan."_

___"Not Dracula?"_

He smiled down at her. ___"No…not Dracula."_

___"Are you a vampire…Nathan?"_

He closed his eyes at the way she said his name…like velvet on her tongue. Getting ready to answer her, he touched at her cheek. ___"The truth is-_

Haley held her breath, waiting for his answer, weirdly happy his name wasn't Dracula. She liked Nathan better.

___It sounded more…_

"He's _not_ a vampire."

"Don't you think that one's getting old Nathan?"

Nathan released Haley now entirely as the lights came on. He glared at…them. _Talk about mood destroyers._ "Damn. What are you two doing here?"

One of them spoke, the other finishing the statement.

"Well for good reason of course…

To tell her why we're here…why you're here.

___"And what we really are."_

**I+&-I**

_More to come…_

Thank you for reading. Feedback is adored.


	4. Chapter 4

_**-Plus&Minus+**_

Wonderful banner by **Krystel**!

Author Notes: language in this one and also…well…this is where the supernatural and other things come in…lol

Thanks for the feedback and putting this story on alert/fave list. I love seeing this story get a new life here at FF with new readers. By the way, if you're reading further ahead, I just updated this story over at my personal board which you can get to by going to my homepage in my profile. Thanks!

I**&-**

_**Chapter 4: Huey and Dewey**_

_**While she had been born in a world of herself alone… **_

_**He was met by two very interesting siblings as he breathed his first breaths. **_

_**And in three years time… **_

_**IT began. **_

_**Set as revenge against another. **_

_**Leading to tragedy and the burden he carried now.**_

I**&-**

Without it even registering in her mind that a few moments ago this man had been a complete stranger to her that had invaded her home, Haley backed up against Nathan now. There were two new people standing in her living room. Two new people who had just…appeared. Like that. _Flash…boom_…there they were…_well without the flash and boom_. "Who…who are you?" She pointed at them. _"Where on earth did you come from?"_

The female twin, wearing a form fitting black dress, grinned and pointed upward playfully. "We didn't come from _earth_…we came from the _sky_!"

The male part, wearing a black sweater and black jeans, now joined in. "Oh yes. We were just kind of taking a night stroll and decided to land down here. _Seemed like some good blood to find._" He winked at his brother.

Shaking his head, Nathan pointed at them both angrily, feeling Haley backing up against him even more, her body partly shaking. "You idiots! I was doing fine. And just shut up with the vampire jokes, okay?"

"You owe me five Nate." The twin with the lighter hair now put out his hand.

_"What…how do you know what happened?"_ Nathan asked the twin with suspicion, wondering if they had been following them all this time. _No…impossible._ He would have known, felt their presence.

The lighter half now turned to a confused and scared Haley. "Did he get thrown out tonight? Did he tell you he wanted blood? And did you then decide he was a psychopathic blood sucking menace to society?"

Haley shook her head before practically yelling it out. _"Who are you?! How did you get in here!"_

The woman, her hair dark except for where red vibrancy touched it, gestured to Nathan as if hurt. "You didn't tell her about us Natey Dear? _Darling…I'm so offended._ I mean I know why you didn't want to tell her about my annoying other half, but you could have let her know about me. I have some products she might enjoy."

With a sweep of the hand a small suitcase appeared in the woman's other hand. _Simply appeared._ She waved her hand over the suitcase now as if she was Vanna White displaying the next letter on Wheel of Fortune.

_"Ahh!"_ Haley called out in shock, feeling Nathan holding at her arms with what seemed support. That woman had just made a suitcase appear like that…_poof_. There it was.

Meanwhile, the light haired man, acting as if suitcases appearing in his sister's hand was nothing to shake your head at, faced Haley with inquiry. "Do you know where they might have some bats around here?"

_"Oh shit."_ Nathan moaned, touching his head that now seemed to be experiencing a resurgence of pain, giving him one splitting headache. Hadn't even felt it anymore for a bit while they stood at that window…_luxuriously in the dark, her soft lyrical voice washing over his senses_. Ahhhh.

_Damn._ He'd been doing fine. Just fine. He was slowly getting Haley to listen to him. They were even sharing their names with each other…and once again, _they were in the dark_. His favorite kind of place to be. _Getting much more closely acquainted with each other…_

And then they ruined it all. Oh…they gave him a migraine. _Literally._

"Oh yes…my brother wants a few bats for his…_well blood sucking duties_." The dark haired woman gave Nathan a playful smile. "Would you happen to know where any might be…_hanging around?_"

"Knock it off Sis!" Nathan called out now with annoyance. _Would they just shut up…please?!_

The twins on a roll though and definitely not stopping there. Now the dark haired woman looked at Haley with interest.

_"Has Nathan already had thought sex with you or did he just suck your neck?"_

"Shit…shut up!"

The light haired man admonished his little brother. "Nate…always with the bad language. At least use code like Sis does."

Meanwhile, the dark haired woman was starting to take things out of her suitcase, which just happened to be floating in the air at the present time. She spoke cordially to Haley, "So…here they are…oh look…vampire resistance tablets. Guaranteed to protect you against blood sucking fiends." Her expression changed to a half dreamy one.

_"You know I dated a vampire once_…wherewolf too…really not good. He kept me up with his howling. But anyway…back to the vampire…_ohhhh…the sex was so incredible. Oh my gosh_…uh…what's your name? Oh anyway…woman with the real pale face right now…_that man knew positions that..._"

She moved forward, whispering to a baffled Haley now with a secretive look. _"Well they go beyond even the Kama Sutra manual of sex, honey. The art of levitation really adds…well anyway…it was ssssssoooooo great._ Until he wanted to bite my neck! That's where I had to say…uh…NO! _And I turned him into a tadpole._ Well I changed him back, but he was that for about…_an hour or so I'd say._ Anyway…this vampire resistance cream will protect you from all blood suckers…_even him_." She gestured playfully to her brother.

"Oh knock it off." Nathan's eyes rolled, his tone filled with annoyance.

Still, the dark haired woman started to hand Haley some of her products. Seeing and feeling the upset in his owner now though, and not heavily sedated anymore of course, Bear growled.

The dark haired woman frowned at that.

_"Ooooh…bad dog…here…Dog with bad manners…see how you like it as a giant worm."_

Haley blinked as…

Nathan closed his eyes with disgust.

The light haired man spoke casually, but also distaste in his tone. "Ew that's hideous Sis. Should have turned it into a bat…at least I could have used it."

Her eyes widened to the size of marbles now, Haley shook her head at the three of them. Her beautiful sweet Bear was a slimy…uh…worm…about the size of a toaster oven.

"OH MY GOD…Nathan…you two…what did you do to Bear? _You turned my dog…my Bear into a…oh…a…_"

"Classification giant worm. Phyla…uhhhh…well it's made up. It's all a part of the craft which brings me up to what we really are. _Since Nathan screwed it up with his vampire story._"

The light haired man glared at his brother. _His fascination with vampires really just needed to end._ I mean come on…what they really were was so much more interesting. So big fricking deal the women more easily fell into the vampire seduction thing. Seemed this woman hadn't.

The dark haired woman chimed in. "It usually would work too, but it seems you might have some resistance. You're half, right? I mean really…every woman I've seen Nathan make the contact with is in his bed about ten minutes later moaning and/or screaming out his name."

"OH shoot. _Don't tell her that._ Just both of you stop."

Haley wasn't listening to them though. She was facing Nathan now with shaking hands, her face going even more pale. _"They…they…they turned my dog…into a gi-giant…worm…giant…poof! Worm?"_

Nathan looked down at Haley now…seeing that she was getting paler and paler.

_"Look what you guys did!"_

"Tell her what we are Sis."

"Nah…how about we show her."

"All right."

_"NO!"_

Nathan called out with desperation, but both of them had already started waving their hands around. Haley looked at them…her dog…them…her dog…the…

_"Oh gosh…you're…you're…"_

"Witches!"

The light haired man shook his head with disapproval. "_No_…that's not right Sis."

"Oh…okay…technically he's a warlock…I'm a witch…and he's a half warlock. _Ding dong the witch isn't dead!_ You know that movie really gave me nightmares when I was a kid. I was soooo scared some stupid girl with a dog named Toto would make me melt! Or that a house would just suddenly land on me and some ugly girl would take my precious shoes. _Ohhhhh…heebies jeebies!_ WICKED set the slate straight…oh yes…witches unite!"

The light haired man broke out into song. _"My country tis of thee…wicked land of witchcraft free…of thee I chaaaaant…"_

And of course the dark haired woman joined in as they began a medley of regular songs turned to the topic of witchcraft with relish, almost like a wild imitation of a Saturday Night Live skit. _"Let witchcraft reign!"_

_"Who let the witches out?"_

They were dancing around now, half floating a couple of times, making objects float, and singing back and forth with each other.

_"Who? Who? Who? Who?" __"Yeah…who let the witches out?!" __"I'm so excited…and I just can't hide it! I'm a WICKED witch and I think I like it!"_

Haley stared at them with shock, back at her dog…uh worm…uh…giant worm…_oooohhh_…at them. _Oh…she didn't feel well._ _Oh…_she started sagging slightly, feeling something, _someone_, holding at her. She looked back at him. _"What…uh?"_

Nathan rolled his eyes at the spectacle, but kept his hands on Haley to hold her steady. "Don't ask."

Haley turned back around, seeing they had started a new song part.

_"Oh the freaks come out at night…the blood sucking freaks come out at night!"_ The light haired man winked at his brother, letting him know that one was just for him.

Nathan smirked angrily. "Hah…funny."

_"Start spreading the news…the witches and warlocks are here…" __"We're going to set some spells in…New York New York!"_

"FranK Sinatra eat your heart out!" They laughed now, smiling at each other with their achievements.

"We're good when you're not acting like the Sex Witch."

"Shut up, but oh yes we are. And you're actually interesting when you're not being Chemist Witch."

Ignoring them now, Nathan looked down at Haley whose face was turning ghostly white as her standing seemed to be turning into leaning against him. _Oh no…_

They did it again. She really was going to…

"Hey…who helps you make all those makeup products?"

Their voices started to rise as they began one of their routine brother and sister fights…which unfortunately Haley had never experienced, not realizing that their fights always became…_enchanted by the craft_.

"Well they're originally my ideas!"

"And I make them come together!"

_"Ha…brother brother boring of time…let's see how you like being a fly…hoo hoo…"_

Haley moaned, holding at Nathan desperately, not even caring that he was a stranger. These two…they were her worst nightmare. One of them was now actually a fly while the other…

_"OH my God, Make it stop. I'm having a nightmare. I want to get up…I want to get up…I want to get up…"_

"Ohhhh…look she chants…she really is partly enchanted!" The dark haired woman called out excitedly, before advising Haley…

"_Just click your heels twice honey and say…there's no place like home…there's no place like home._ Ahhhh…you turned me into a fly!"

"Yeah and look Sis…I'm a venus fly trap!"

"Oooohhhhh!"

_"Oh my God…Oh my God…Oh my God…"_ Haley whispered now weakly as a huge Venus fly trap plant like Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors started mouth smacking at the screaming fly.

Livid, feeling that she was going to go under in about just one minute, Nathan called out to them. "ENOUGH. Both of you turn yourself back into what you really are!"

_"Ooooohhhhh…you're no fun."_ The dark haired woman pouted.

_"A poo poo paa…."_ The light haired man made a disappointed face.

Haley stared now in horror as suddenly they were…people again. _"Oh…no..this…is…not…happening…oh…"_

"Damn…she's going to-

_"Five, four, three, two…"_ The light haired man began to casually count on his fingers, as if what was about to happen was a regular occurrence that he was very accustomed to.

Haley was gesturing wildly now, barely standing straight, her face beyond just pale or even white now. She looked sickly as she whispered in a trembling fading voice. _"My dog…a worm…witches in my kitchen…"_

"No honey…one witch…two warlocks, though technically one is in the same room with you and he's only a half though no offense Darling Nate." The dark haired woman corrected easily.

_"Worm…witches...worm…"_

"Haley?" Nathan called out to her anxiously. Even as beautiful as she was, she looked terrible right now.

Something was against her. She could feel it, but all she could see now was that hideous worm thing that had replaced her dog and venus fly traps and flies and floating suitcases and...

_"Ohhhh…"_

Too much.

"Ohhh…she's getting very pale. Here…let's turn her into a ghost."

"Nah…mummy's better. She can enter one of those dark caves and snatch me a bat or two."

"You and your bats! I want her to be a ghost so she can try my new Phantom of isle face cream."

"Mummy."

"Ghost."

"MUMMY!"

"GHOST!"

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!"

_"Oh God…"_ Their voices were fading to the back of her mind. Everything was getting blurry and…

"Haley?"

Her mind couldn't process anymore of this. Haley's eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her body going limp, she began to fall.

The twins watched it with dull looks on their faces as if watching a woman go so pale before…

_Well as if it was nothing new to them._

"Theeeeerrrree…she goes like a…" The dark haired woman mimicked.

And as Nathan did race to her, before she could…

The twin brother simply casually remarked,

"_Splat_. Oh and by the way…

_You still owe me five Nate_."

I**&-**

_More to come…_

Feedback is adored as always so let me know what you thought. Thanks.

Author Notes: Okay now I can start commenting on a few things: The vampire thing: With the blood comment from Nathan in the club and some other things he had done and ways he acted it was important to me to have the twins totally tease him here for all that. Now Nathan's fascination with vampires will be expanded upon…in many different ways. But now you know what he really is.

So maybe you're wondering why witches and warlocks? Well I thought of going the vampire route, but it's a hard one to travel down because of what a vampire does…with blood, literally. The wherewolf thing is not that appealing to me. But the witch factor I think is kind of interesting. Nathan's not a vampire, but this fascination he has with them…why does he have it? One of the twin's thoughts in this were very telling about Nathan and his fascination.


	5. Chapter 5

+Chapter 6-

Part I: **_Wacky Family Ties_**

+&-

_**She went from one place to another, not understanding what made her…different. **_

_**Them not understanding it either. **_

_**Pushing her away. **_

_**Rejecting her. **_

_**So she grew up… **_

_**Without Home. **_

_**Without Family. **_

_**Without. **_

_**All she had was her inner self. **_

_**Her secrecy. **_

_**Her… **__**But she was about to lose even that.**_

+&-

Nathan raced forward, catching at Haley's arms before she could hit the floor. He looked down at her face seeing the proof, her eyes closed, her body slack. _"You idiots! She fainted!"_

"Out like a dead light bulb." The dark haired woman deadpanned.

"One…like clockwork." The light haired man finished his counting now with satisfaction.

"Think she'll want to buy some of my _anti pale face cream_ after she gets up? I mean she'll really want to fight against that whiteness. It makes her look like a lady vampire and I know how much she is not the vampire type…she could barely take us."

"No one can take you two!" Nathan yelled out now, sweeping Haley up into his arms. "Get the blanket from that chair." He called out to his brother, walking hurriedly, carrying Haley to the futon.

"Here you go." His older brother hadn't even bothered to go to the chair with a blanket on it. Instead he had waved his hands and made the checkered blanket fly over to his younger brother. As it reached him, the blanket loudly smacked Nathan in the face.

"Thanks!" Nathan growled in annoyance, grabbing the blanket in one hand as he began to lay Haley down on the futon. Taking the blanket then, he covered her with it halfway.

_"Hmmmm…la da a…I'm thirsty."_ The dark haired woman announced candidly, sauntering over to the kitchen and opening the refrigerator, making a few cans float out of it.

"Get out of there!" Nathan called out with angry irritation. The expression on his face was one though of worry as Haley's eyes remained closed. It was a bit of a surprise to be feeling this way. It wasn't like it was the first time he'd seen the twins have this affect on someone.

Meanwhile…the older brother was making his way to the kitchen now also. "Hey…maybe she has some ingredients I could use in her refrigerator. I got to get this bat experiment done. Really…_it is a bat experiment_, but nothing about blood sucking…_ha ha_."

"Want a coke?"

"Sure."

The female twin handed the male twin a can.

"Nate Darling, want a coke?"

Not even thinking, Nathan started to answer with a tired sigh. "Yeah I'm thirs_NO! GET-

The woman frowned, quietly interrupting while daintily sipping her drink from a glass she had simply helped herself too. "Well geesh Darling Little Brother. No need to scream. A simple no thank you would suffice."

The other twin called out while he ransacked Haley's refrigerator, moving things from one place to another in a totally unorganized fashion. "Yeah geesh Nate…what got up your ass?"

_What got up his ass? WHAT GOT UP HIS ASS? Two delinquent, meddling, lunatic witches that he had the misfortune to be related to. THAT'S WHAT GOT UP HIS ASS!_

He almost screamed out his fury and frustration, but then seeing Haley still lying silently on the futon that he was sitting on the corner of, Nathan just let out an exasperated sigh. They were infuriating, but right now he had something more important to think about.

"Just…both of you…stop. You…get me a cold towel." He gestured to his brother to get him to stop messing up the order in her refrigerator.

The older brother swept his hands in the air and all of the sudden a wet towel appeared and floated over to his younger brother. Grimacing, Nathan grabbed at it and placed it on Haley's forehead. "Damn…"

"So did she agree to-

Nathan cut him off. "Enough…damn…_what are you doing?_" He asked his sister who was sitting on Haley's kitchen countertop.

The woman smiled amicably as she lazily swung her feet back and forth, sitting there drinking her coke with total casualness. _"Drinking."_

Nathan shook his head, before noticing his brother searching the cabinets, making the doors of each one fly open before using witchcraft to make them shut loudly.

"Get out of there. She doesn't have any bats."

"I'm not looking for bats now."

"What are you looking for?"

The lighter haired man joked. _"Eye of newt."_

The woman laughed at that. _"Boil boil..."_

_"toil and trouble…"_

_"Cauldron burn…"_

_"Bubble bubble…_

"OH GET ME A TOAD twin, I'll turn it into a prince charming…hoo hoo!"

"HA HA!"

Seeing them laughing hysterically now, performing a few spells, Nathan yelled at both of them. When they got like this, when they got this crazy everything just turned into chaos. "You need to turn that ugly worm back into her dog…that's what you need to do!"

"You do it."

"Fine!" Nathan made an angry sweep with one hand resulting in the worm…

_"Two heads. Oh that's lovely Nate."_

"Shut up."

"Yeah…don't give little brother a hard time. He can't help it that his spells are all going whacky. It's because of IT."

Nathan shivered a little at the mention…_of_…noticing his brother even frowning slightly, the sister looking a bit apologetic for what she had said…the truth and yet….

Nathan sighed. _This wasn't the time._ "Just…turn it back into a dog now. Okay?"

The dark mood had already departed. The twins were once again up to their playful mischief, annoying their little brother once more. "And both of you get out of her kitchen. _What the heck are you doing now?_"

"Having a spell off…ha…take that Twin brother…I'm better!"

"Ha…how about this spell?"

"Ooohhh…how about this one!"

_"Stop it!"_ Nathan yelled out angrily as things started flying all over the place. They were out of control and unfortunately his use of the craft was quite limited now. Especially against them. Since they were whole and he was only half, they had much more of it in them. They could make things happen that made him shake his head…and they made it happen with seemingly total ease. Of course that also got them into a lot of trouble.

The twin factor too seemed to cause them to get into the most ridiculous mischief. Though his older brother could be incredibly serious, paired with his twin sometimes he turned into a stupid buffoon. And her…she made a sport of making men come hither and salivate at her feet…along with being one whacky saleswoman. Oh…_but together_ they were anyone's worst nightmare when they really got the craft going. It was no wonder Haley had passed out. They were a menace to so called normal society.

Haley moaned now, slowly opening her eyes. She blinked at what she saw. Flashes of light were going off in her kitchen along with things just appearing in the air. Rubbing her head she looked down at the floor seeing that Bear was now not just a one headed, but a _two_ headed giant ugly scary worm. _"Oh my God…make this nightmare stop. Ohhhhh…"_

"Haley…you're awake?" Nathan asked her now gently from where he was sitting on the corner of the futon.

"What is going on?" She pointed now with shaking hands to the wild display happening in her kitchen. The dark haired woman was sitting with those weird products from her suitcase, only half the products were now floating in the air, along with a tablet she was writing on. Meanwhile the blonde haired man was balancing a whole bunch of objects on top of each other…also in the air. _Wait a minute…those were her dishes!_ Oh…and her dog was a worm…a giant worm with two big heads.

_"Get them out."_ She spoke evenly, but dangerously.

"Yeah, I was going to-

She shook her head now, her voice frantic. She couldn't wait anymore. She couldn't take anymore of this insanity. "Get them out…get them out…get them out…_GET THEM OUT!_"

"Damn." Nathan tried to calm her now, but she was practically screaming. He looked at his siblings, but then turned back to Haley as she started to struggle with…something.

"No!"

There it was…a bandana that had just appeared in the air and was now chasing after the front of her mouth.

_"NATHAN! Help me!"_

He glared at his sister, trying to grab the stupid thing.

The older sister held up her hands with ease. "Well she's too loud. I'm only keeping the peace. She's going to wake everybody up!"

_AS IF THEY HADN'T?! AND WHAT PEACE?!_ Any peace flew out the window screaming in fear the moment they entered a room! Okay…that was it. _He had it._ "THAT'S IT." Nathan fixed both his wild siblings now with a hard glare, speaking firmly and loudly.

_"GET RID OF IT. NOW. AND YOU. TURN THAT DISGUSTING THING BACK INTO HER DOG."_

Somehow…it worked.

Usually did. Nathan was the youngest of the three of them, but he could hold them for at least half a minute with his eyes, since that one ability he had the strongest of all of them. Whether it had to do with the craft or something just inside him, no one knew, but it was an asset…most the time. Anyway, it, and his strong unhappy voice now was enough to make the chaos stop for a moment. He watched as the ridiculous bandana simply vanished and the worm became no more. Before his siblings of course went back to their kitchen shenanigans.

Haley didn't care. Not at this moment anyway. One thing was important to her and now as she noticed it, she smiled with relief. Bear was her beloved husky and malamute again…her beautiful dog. Calling out to him, she waited til he came and then wrapped her arms around him tightly.

And then looking at the three of them, she pushed away at Nathan, got up from the futon and stood in the middle of her living room. "Okay…I want to know what's going on. And if you two don't get out of my kitchen within the next five seconds I'll hit you with a pan harder than I hit him. _One…two…three…four…_"

Nathan shook his head now at his brother and sister. "You don't want to test her on that one. It feels like a semi."

All the floating objects stopped floating and found their usual sitting place. Meekly now the two siblings left the kitchen, though there was a bit of resentment on their faces too.

"Fine."

"Here we are."

Nathan sighed, standing up and moving in closer to Haley who promptly moved away from him. _Damn._ Why did they have to always have such horrible timing? They'd been talking and she was starting to know of their connection when all of the sudden…_poof_…the Huey and Dewey of Witchcraft, appear. "Haley…this is my brother…well half brother, and half sister. They're twins. Fraternal of course. This is Lucas…and Brooke."

"So very nice to meet you. See…we have the same mother, but not the same father. Nathan's father was _a zero_…code for non witch, though he wasn't really a zero. He was actually pretty great. Anyway, would you like to buy some anti horror aging hair cream? I have a feeling you'll be developing some white hairs tonight."

Haley held her dog tighter, backing away from the woman's extended hand.

"And I'm charmed too…not a pun by the way on that lame show about their fake version of witchcraft. I mean…really…it's almost as bad as the broom thing."

Haley, despite her mind telling her to just throw them out, asked a question instead. "What? Don't you guys fly on brooms?"

Brooke waved her hand dismissively. "Oh no…that is so a thousand years ago give or take a few."

Haley simply stared at them before turning back to Nathan. "Okay…I want to know what's going on. Now."

Part II: **_How Soon is Now?_**

Part title credited to **The Smiths**, lyrics credit: **The Smiths** (_Song: How Soon is Now?_)

_**+I am the son… **__**  
**__**And the heir…-**_

"Ooooh…she's good." Brooke smiled with approval.

Nathan shook his head, feeling it hurting more and also not knowing where to start from in the explanation department. When they had done the test it had seemed so easy. He would just come, use a little of his eye contact and…_well she'd have no choice but to give into her real desires…_

Now though, after Haley's surprising resistance, her immunity to _the stare_, scaring her in her own home, and his brother and sister joining in making the poor woman faint…he just didn't know anymore. Everything felt way too wrong. All his life he'd done what he needed to for himself, but now…

_It didn't feel right at all._

"So you did tell her about the test, right Nathan? _Or were you too busy playing vampire?_"

Haley shook her head now with questioning. _"What test?"_

Nathan frowned at his older brother, Lucas, a man who liked to dress in mostly black. Well they all liked to except when they added in flashes of red that Brooke had said add flair. "I wasn't playing…just…"

"See Haley…" Brooke started to explain now, stepping away from the dog who was watching her with a not so friendly look.

_Humph…she didn't like dogs much either._

"Normally Nathan likes to play up the vampire story because it's always a success, and he has this strange fascination with Dracula and his minions. Well I guess the sexual part of it is understandable. One glance and a woman is putty in his hands. But you have a strong resistance. Must be because you are half…you did know that, right?"

"Wait…the search…wasn't your mother the one with the craft? She was a witch, right?" Lucas asked with inquiry.

Nathan watched as the question made Haley shiver, before she answered them with a very quiet voice. "_I don't have a mother._ She gave me away. And I grew up in a bunch of foster homes. _WHAT IS THE TEST?_"

Closing his eyes, he said it. "I'm sorry Haley."

_**+Of a shyness that is **__**  
**__**Criminally vulgar-**_

Both Brooke and Lucas stared at their brother in awe. Nathan never…_well rarely_…apologized, and when he did it was with great reluctance. He hadn't even hesitated just now.

Haley didn't even look at Nathan, calling out for Bear who immediately stood in front of her to show his defense. Absentmindedly, she got down halfway on her knees, hugging the dog to her. Bear was her only real family. "Never mind that. I want answers. The three of you invaded my home and upset my dog. Now you tell me what the heck is going on before I let him do what he wants to do…tear you all to pieces."

"Well that's not very nice." Brooke answered with a mildly offended tone.

"Yes…we could just turn him back into a worm anyway…or even better…a bat."

_"NO."_ Nathan spoke now firmly. "She's right. We came here uninvited. Me first. I swear I didn't mean to upset you Haley."

She didn't look at him, focusing on the two of them instead, knowing they'd give her answers because they seemed to have very little feeling for other people's discomfort or pain. "What is the test?"

Lucas sighed, starting to turn more serious now as it seemed all the wildness of before was quickly departing with this woman's calmness. She simply wanted answers. "It's incredibly hard to explain in detail. But basically…we did the test and…well when we did…we saw you."

_"What?"_ Haley stared at them now. "What do you mean…you saw me?"

"It's like a cloud of smoke appears and you're taken to where another person is…you see where they are and…for one moment…you're kind of there. Lucas and I chanted…Nathan tested…and he sort of went to where you were."

"Explain it to me."

Brooke shook her head now. "We can't. Here…" She moved over to Haley quickly, grabbing at her hand while Lucas took her other.

_"NO!"_ Nathan called out in horror, but they'd already linked hands with her. He watched as they used their other hand to close Haley's eyes, their minds to calm her, and then…

He saw her slowly react, the myriad of emotions crossing over her face as _it happened_. He got ready for the angered accusations, the screaming.

_**+I am the son and heir… **__**  
**__**Of nothing in particular…-**_

But her calm…

_That he wasn't prepared for._

This…painful knife stabbing…calm.

He never knew someone so calm that it was frightening. Only façade though. Because underneath it, the pain lived. It started to make its way across her face now, the questions, the anger, the confusion, the…

Shaking her head, Haley just stared. What she had seen, what they'd shown her. He'd…

Both Lucas and Brooke glanced at each other, troubled looks. _Her hands were like ice._ They felt forced to let go. Though they seemed it to her, they weren't without feeling. All of this was disturbing…and unfortunate.

Haley stared at them…at him…and said nothing. She was in shock, unable to comprehend what was happening. It took her a chilled moment to finally speak. _"You…you entered my mind…my body…my feelings?"_

His eyes closed. It would have been better for her to scream at him. This…

Bear reacted to it immediately, knowing his beloved owner's actions, her behavior. He growled viciously at all three of them, moving to stand guard in front of a half paralyzed Haley.

"Dog with little obedience time to turn you into-

Nathan put up his hand at his sister's attempted witchcraft. "No! Leave him alone."

Both Lucas and Brooke's eyes widened, but they nodded their heads and did nothing.

Remembering how he had held at her…how she had wanted him to hold her because…

Haley crossed her arms over her chest now, looking at all of them like they were…

Trembling, she found her movement, made her way to the window, her eyes staring out it blankly. He had touched her. _She had wanted him to touch her…_

He came here knowing that moment she had been shown here tonight…he had known about it, _because he created it_. He came here to…

_Why did he come here? What did he want? Why wasn't she screaming?_

Oh right, because she was sensible Haley. Always sensible. Even when there had been those who pointed at her and questioned what she…

_No…stop._

She didn't scream. She didn't throw things. She…

She pushed it away. Always. Hid away pain. Sweep it up with the garbage of lonely existence.

Nathan spoke lowly, but firmly. "You two go. Now. You've done enough. _GO._"

Both shook their heads, but with a sweep of their hands and a bit of chanting…disappeared.

Nathan looked at Haley who was standing by the window, her arms crossed over the front of her. He started to walk to her, but was met with a snarling Bear. Sadly he smiled down at the dog. "I won't hurt her Bear. I swear I won't. And no one's going to turn you into any disgusting creatures again, okay. I won't even try to sedate you. _Just let me talk to her._"

_**+I am human and I need to be loved… **__**  
**__**Just like everybody else does…-**_

The dog let him pass, but kept up his guard. Nathan knew it as he heard a low growl while he approached…

_"Haley…"_

Staring out the window, she shook her head, her voice trembling. _"You're worse than Dracula."_ She let out, her body shaking as if in a cold cold winter. She turned around now, meeting his eyes. _What was in them? What did she see in them?_ Were they going to…

Crossing her arms over herself even more tightly, she pointed shakily to him. _"You are. You…I mean…what are you? WHAT are you? Why are you here? What do you want with me?"_

Seeing it now, more than before, stronger than ever, _her fear_, he took a cautious step forward, only to see her take three backward quickly, pushing her roughly against the window. He stopped. "Haley please…I won't hurt you. I didn't come here for that. _Please don't be afraid of me._"

She shook her head half blindly. Seeing Bear standing guard, she called him over. He made it to her side with a few steps, his stance protective toward Haley, threatening toward Nathan. "Don't call me that. My name. You don't know me. And I don't want to know you." She kept staring, before she started to mutter it, weakly speaking. _"How…how could you do that to me? I…I don't know you. I've never met you. I haven't done anything to you. How could you invade my privacy…my body…my mind? Oh God…"_

She was so quiet, but her voice was trembling so violently, her face so void of life's happiness, pained…terrified.

Damn, he never wanted this. Never wanted to frighten her. To make her think he was…

"Haley…Beautiful, it's not like that. I couldn't…oh man. _It's only mirage._ It's a vision and nothing more. I wasn't there…not really there. Not physically. I swear that to you."

_**+You can meet someone who really loves you… **__**  
**__**You leave on your own…-**_

He started to move closer. She backed up with fear. Bear growled, warning him not to take any more steps.

He could sedate him. Haley knew that. She held at her dog, keeping him as a guard in front of her. "Don't you dare hurt Bear. Just…I want you to leave. I want you to go."

He closed his eyes. This was worse than anger. This was more painful than her hitting him or screaming. She was so calm, but that calm was interwoven with stark fear and shock. He was the cause.

_And he hated himself for it._

Haley watched him, not taking her eyes off his face, seeing him now getting down…

_"What are you doing?"_ She asked, her hands scraping against the window, her back pushed against it as she held Bear defensively in front of her.

Nathan sighed tiredly. "I'm getting down…on my knees. I just don't want you to be afraid. See…I'm vulnerable now too. Bear can attack me and I wouldn't be able to stop him."

She shook her head, not convinced at all by his reassurances. Her finger pointed with accusation. "You would just turn him into some disgusting thing."

_**+And you go home and you cry **__**  
**__**And you want to die…-**_

He shook his head. "No…for one I'm not as good as Lucas and Brooke at it. For another, I promised Bear I wouldn't do anything to him. And I never make promises lightly. He can attack me if he wants. I won't stop him. All I'm asking is please…Beautiful…listen to me." He looked up at her now, seeing her standing there, covering herself, just in her pajamas, looking so damn vulnerable, Bear, her one protection.

"I don't know if I can believe you. I know I shouldn't. I certainly don't trust you. I don't get you. Was this some kind of game?"

He shook his head quickly now, feeling the moisture starting in his eyes. "No. I wish I could explain it to you but…well it wasn't meant to hurt you. Just know that. I've meant everything I've said. I've not lied to you once. Not even the vampire part. I mean I'm not one, but I know that darkness. I have that in me. I…I crave more of it because of my being only…oh damn. Haley…the test…it was partly because I'm half. I'm half warlock from my mother. My father had none of the craft in him. And you…I didn't know that you never knew her, but your mother, she was witch like mine. You're half Haley…half like me."

She stared down at him now, shaking her head. Disbelieving of what he was saying and yet…

_Won't it answer so many questions? Won't it explain why you're not running out of this building now, running away from him? Won't it show why you can stand hear and listen to this so calmly? Won't it take away-_

NO. _Stop._

"You…how do you know that? _How do you know things about me?_ I want this to stop. I want this to be a nightmare. I want you to go."

The tear fell down his face now. Her pain was his agony. And it didn't make any sense to him. All his life only two had he really cared for, been that close to, his siblings. As much as they annoyed him, he loved them for they were his family. When…IT started, they had vowed to help him, to…

_But now_…now there was another. Now a stranger didn't feel like…she….

Oh the moment he took the test and saw her, he felt it. This connecting power to her. _This…_

It wasn't supposed to be about pain. It was supposed to be easy. It always was. He never had any trouble getting a woman to want him without witchcraft, just with his eyes he could draw them in. Later his body provided the satisfaction. But it hadn't worked with her. She was so strong and beautiful and…

_Of course it hadn't worked with her._

"Let me explain…okay? Let me just tell you this and then I'll go. You're safe. I don't want to hurt you. And you have Bear there. He won't let me hurt you. Just listen to me…hear this. We're rich. Lucas, Brooke and I. Millionaires really. We've never had a lack of money. We've always gotten what we wanted…materially. We did the test. I saw you in it and wanted to find you."

Her voice trembled, revulsion climbing in and mingling with the fear and shock. "You saw me? You were touching me. You had your hands on my…my body…" Her tears were there now. Her body was trembling. She couldn't believe this, conceive of this kind of…kind of EVIL, for what else could it be? There was no normalcy in another human being entering you and feeling you…touching you, exposing your nakedness, using you as its sickening vessel.

_And yet remember the taunts? The accusing eyes? The way they stood back from you…apart from you? Remember never being accepted? Remember?_

STOP.

The window was scraping against her back, her arm. It invaded the thin material of her pajamas. Entered with no invitation. Scratching at her skin without mercy.

Another tear was unleashed from his own eyes. He saw Bear looking fiercer. The dog knew her so well. "_No…no Beautiful._ You have to understand. If I can make you understand one thing, let it be this. _It wasn't real._ I wasn't there. Not in that room. Not on the balcony with you. I wouldn't violate you. Your privacy. I didn't even let Lucas and Brooke in…when I started seeing you. I kept it from them. I only saw you with my feelings Haley…not any strong images. Just your face when we first started it…and then…it was shadows. And I was only there in your thoughts. I wasn't really there. I know it makes no sense, but that's the truth."

She shook her head now, hugging Bear protectively to her. "You were in my thoughts? My feelings? And you say that's nothing. You DID violate me. You…I just want you to go away. I want to act like I never saw you. I want you to go. But I need to know…why? And what do you know about my…my mmmm---that woman? What right do you have to know about her? Why are you here? Are you like a vampire? Wanting to take something from me?"

He shook his head, no, but knew as he did it, that was a lie. He had come here for something. He'd come thinking he would get it, because he always got everything he wanted. Now he _needed_ something…

And he was going to let it go. At this moment he knew that. He wouldn't try to get it. He wouldn't…

Violate her anymore.

"I can't explain totally. I just saw you in that vision and I…I came. Your mother is buried in another state. I hired someone to find out. It wasn't to invade your privacy…it was to find you. I didn't know she gave you up."

Haley stared at him incredulously now, swallowing away the pain that the mother she'd never known, who had never wanted her…wasn't even around anymore. _She was dead._ "How can you say it wasn't to invade my privacy? Every action you've made since that…sick test has been an invasion of me…my life…you've…I just don't know why. _Wait…oh…that vision…your hands._ The way you acted at Rendezvous. Is this what you do? Find women and just…play with their feelings first, get inside them before you…"

Her face turned pure white, sickening images forming in her mind. _"Oh God…what were you going to try to do to me tonight?"_

Her body tremoring, her vulnerability stark naked in front of her strength as the shock was just too much for her, he shook his head, trying to put out an appeasing hand. But he brought it back as he saw Bear was ready to bite it off. He could tell her it all. But no.

He had no right. He was an uninvited guest. Unwanted.

_He wasn't a guest._ He was a thief. She was right. _He was worse than Dracula._

Still, he tried to make her see, "No…no…nothing you wouldn't want. Wouldn't be a part of. _Nothing Beautiful._ I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't come here to hurt you. _Please believe that._"

He wished he never did the test. Fuck what was to come…IT. If there had been no test, he wouldn't have to be seeing this now…her pain…her…

_**+See I've already waited too long…-**_

Everything he was saying was swirling and weaving in her mind too uncomfortably, too painfully. It was like a video car game…crashing into the side every time. _Crash._ He watched her. _Crash._ He touched her. _Crash._ He searched for her. _Crash._ He came to her…uninvited.

_UNINVITED_

Shaking her head, she spoke a little more firmly, standing now. She wasn't ready to get anywhere near him. She considered him actually terrifying now, even as he still stayed on his knees. He had entered inside her one night, and then came here tonight, to…to what?

She didn't want to think about it. Think about how sick this all was. How perverse. She just wanted him gone.

"I don't believe anything from you. I still don't even know what you are. What sick thoughts you were having about tonight. And I don't want to know. I just want you to leave. I want you to get out. GET OUT."

She was looking down at him now because he was on his knees. He heard it so powerfully in her voice though. She'd had it.  
Her voice was half broken, but so controlled, too calm, for it was on the point of breaking entirely. Just at the edge of the cliff of madness. He should have known with the beautiful woman she was he would only bring hurt to her. He'd cause her pain.

She should call the police. She knew that, but this whole thing, it was so crazy, so insane. She didn't even know how to comprehend it in her mind. What he wanted…or would have wanted, it made her sick, it made her hairs stand on end. He…

But now as she looked down at him, all she saw was weakness in his own face, tears staining it, shame there.

_Shame to be different. Hide it._

No…no more. _I left it…behind. It's over. The little pieces of it still left, they're okay. They're not like this. Like him. This monster._

Monster?

_Then why is there wetness running down his face?_

She stared at it for a moment with fascination like she had been fascinated to feel his arms…

_Oh God…_

She turned away, facing the window, feeling Bear standing by her side. "Get out. Whatever you are, just get out. Leave. Get out. I'm not going to let you steal another part of me. OH God…JUST GET OUT."

She was leaning against the window now for support again. He wanted to take her away from it and hold her protectively. But he had no right.

He had no right at all.

He was…

Uninvited.

He was The Prince of Darkness to her…a monster.

Shaking…

He opened the door and walked out of her apartment.

_**And all my hope is… **__**  
**__**Gone.**_

Out of her life.

Entering it one night as an invader he knew now.

Leaving it the first moment he really…truly met her.

+&-

_Two Halves ripped cruelly apart before they could even join. __By Fear. __By Disbelief. __By Refusal. __Only one band aid left. __Floating disjointedly now. __Love._

+&-

_**All minus. **_

_**The equation had no balance. **_

_**The numbers spun out of control. **_

_**They filled with negativity and despair. **_

_**And the corruption smiled.**_

+&-

More to come…

So there we go…things got very dark in this one and that will be a theme that will continue in this story along with the dark humor and the…romance.

I can give away some movie inspirations now.

**The Craft:** This movie is like the girls version of The Lost Boys. I don't know how popular it is…if it's seen as campy or whatever, but I actually kind of like it. Kind of a fun wild little horror movie and it just reminds me of The Lost Boys which I loved when it first came out, and still enjoy, especially because it was filmed at Santa Cruz and I've been there a few or so times.

**Practical Magic:** Honestly, I don't like this movie much, but there are a few themes in it that I incorporated into this story. I'll talk about that more later.

And those are the main ones.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Plus&Minus**_

Thank you for your support for this story, reading, the lovely feedback, etc. I just updated this story at my homepage if you want to read the most current one. I'm enjoying posting here though and I'll continue to post the chapters here too.

Song Lyrics in this one:

_Sorrow_: **Pink Floyd**

_Uninvited_: **Alanis Morisette**

_Ghost_: **Live**

They will sporadically be put into this inspiration is heavy. The lyrics are in bold italics. Not all the lyrics of each song will be included, only parts.

Gentle Warning: This one has **foul language**. It also is **very dark in emotion and feeling**.

Onto the story…

I**+&-**I

I_**+Chapter 7: The Malevolent Wind-**_I

I**+&-**I

_**A dark one set this all up. **_

_**Started a horrific cycle. **_

_**Meant only to cause pain. **_

_**Another intervened though later. **_

_**Placing a cushion to break the fall. **_

_**Something more powerful than his evil.**_

I**+&-**I

_Two beings, Two halves… __Horribly separated… __Lost in…_

I**+&-**I

_**+The sweet smell of a great sorrow lies over the land **__**  
**__**Plumes of smoke rise and merge into the leaden sky-**_

+&-

Hearing the door close, she still didn't move right away. Paralyzed by that vision. One night her life laid open. One night an invader came and stole away…

A part of her.

I**+&-**I

_**+A man lies and dreams of green fields and rivers, **__**  
**__**But awakes to a morning with no reason for waking-**_

I**+&-**I

Walking now, he found himself near the water. Looking down at it, he didn't move. Couldn't. It was only days away. He didn't care now though. Might even be better to just speed it up.

I**+&-**I

_**+You, you're not allowed **__**  
**__**You're uninvited-**_

She got up now, going to the door. Looking at the lock, she made sure it was all latched, all set to keep out any unwanted visitors. A bitter laugh came out of her mouth as she realized not even locks worked. Her hands coming to her face, she sagged against the door, falling to the floor.

I**+&-**I

_**+Haunted by the memory of a lost paradise **__**  
**__**In his youth or a dream, he can't be precise-**_

I**+&-**I

He remembered now. There had been a time he had a father and mother. He still had a mother. Only she was too…far away.

But his father?

_"Daddy! Where Daddy?" __"Your dad is dead." __"Why?" __"An accident. Be careful. We want to make sure you don't get into an accident too, Dear Nate."_

The insanity started after that. Moved around to a safer place time after time. Losing the one link he had to the other half of him. Making him become only a half. Loss of the light. Loss of…

He convinced himself that other half no longer existed, that it had no bearing on his being. He ripped it away til it only lived in bittersweet memory. He told himself it was wrong, it was…

It was more like a curse on his life.

But now the real curse was getting ready to eat him whole. Its jaws snapping back and forth, its tongue lifting to its lips in sickening anticipation, it was preparing to consume him, to end, what it started. To fulfill its destiny.

I**+&-**I

_**+Everybody has a ghost **__**  
**__**everybody has a ghost…like you do **__**  
**__**Yours is not like mine-**_

She heard movement, and then felt a wet nose against her face. The tears running down, she tried to bravely smile. "Oh Bear…you're my only family. You care. You never leave me. You…

Oh God…how could he do this to me? What gave him the right to crash into my life? To invade it?"

I**+&-**I

_**+Chained forever to a world that's departed… **__**  
**__**His blood has frozen & curdled with fright **__**  
**__**His knees have trembled & given way in the night-**_

I**+&-**I

Thinking of the tears on her face, the shock in her eyes, the pain in her shaking, he closed his eyes now. Using the craft without knowing, forcing a light ahead to explode. He fell as the sparks shot out, weakened him. The craft denying him. Shards of glass crashing to the ground. Sparks of electricity shot viciously into the night.

His knees hit the ground hard, but he paid the hurt no mind. The hurt inside him was stronger than any physical discomfort.

As an alien wind seemed to whisper…

_You're losing it…you're losing it…you're only going to get weaker. Feel it depart you. Feel it…REJECT you. Feel…Me coming? Ha ha…ha ha…_

He screamed it out to stop the chants of the evil winds surrounding him. "I DON'T CARE! YOU HEAR ME? I DON"T CARE ANYMORE! GO AHEAD…TAKE ME! HAVE IT ALL!"

The wind that came from directions unknown, rushed under his feet, forcing him to his knees once more, making him lose his balance, making him fall over and over.

Weakly he cried, _"I don't care…I don't care…"_

The wind snickered…

_Of course you do…_

I**+&-**I

_**+Must be strangely exciting **__**  
**__**To watch the stoic squirm… **__**  
**__**But you you're not allowed **__**  
**__**You're uninvited-**_

I**+&-**I

Bear seemed to know she needed him now for he lay his head on her lap, letting her hug him to her. He didn't protest.

She thought of that night, telling Bobby that it was over. Had it been because of the…sickening feeling? His…being there?

No. Things with Bobby had been ending before, but still, his coming there, sneaking in like a slithering snake, had only made things worse. The three of them had come and just planted themselves in her thoughts, her feelings. They had no right. No right.

"They have no right Bear. They have no right. NO RIGHT!" She cried, burying her face in the fur of the animal. He let out a sound, a whimper of sympathy.

I**+&-**I

_**+I'll take the myth, you take the blood **__**  
**__**it's all the same to the world dreamer **__**  
**__**it's all the same in the end-**_

I**+&-**I

It should be so easy. It was going to be. If it was any other woman…

He'd never had a problem with them. The women. He never thought about sex. He just…did it, had it. He never needed to feel something more. But now…

The moment he saw her during the test…

Oh…her face…her…

Was this the madness? Was this it? Was it going to consume him?

He laughed bitterly. It didn't have to. The darkness was already swallowing him up whole, bringing its evil winds and black clouds with it.

The darkness he had always loved. Now his doom.

I**+&-**I

_**+Silence that speaks so much louder that words, **__**  
**__**Of promises broken-**_

I**+&-**I

And he found her mother. She was dead. She was buried. How many nights had she wondered, waited, asked, begged…why doesn't my mommy come? Why don't I have one?  
Why…why…why…

Why…did she give me away?

I**+&-**I

_**+Like any uncharted territory **__**  
**__**I must seem greatly intriguing **__**  
**__**But this is not allowed **__**  
**__**You're uninvited-**_

I**+&-**I

Before this he had only cared about finding the right one. It wouldn't be hard to make her feel it. His eyes were like a piece of the craft themselves. They were enchanted, many said. He didn't know. He only knew they had the power to look so far deep inside a person…he could make them think the thoughts he had…make them want it. It worked with everyone almost. Only those stronger in the craft could get past him after a bit.

But she…

She must have the same strength as he did…and yet she escaped it.

What if she hadn't? What if they were together now because she hadn't resisted it? What if…he was making love to her now? Touching her…tasting her…hearing her calling out his-

The thought made him fall to his knees again, even with the winds now departed, as mysteriously gone as they came. It was sickening. She asked WHAT he was. She called him worse than Dracula.

She was right. He was a WHAT. A monster.

I**+&-**I

_**+Flattered by your fascination with me **__**  
**__**Like any hot-blooded woman **__**  
**__**I have simply wanted an object to crave **__**  
**__**But you, you're not allowed-**_

I**+&-**I

Why had there been tears in his eyes? He couldn't care. It had only been fake. And yet…

How could it be his look was fierce in the club and yet his touch…

Like Gentle Persuasion…

Oh…

How could she deny it? Even as he was a stranger in her home a part of her had craved, needed, yearned for his…

Oh his gentle touch when they stood by that window, when he made the lights go out, leaving them in…quiet darkness.

Oh it was sick. Sick how he made her thoughts go to such a dark place. How he had tried to influence them. Violated her mind. Ripped into it…

Completely…

Unwelcome

Uninformed

UNINVITED

I**+&-**I

_**+Where did i go wrong? **__**  
**__**i never needed this before **__**  
**__**i need a woman to help me feel-FEEL-**_

I**+&-**I

He had always joked, had always thought about it, the coolness of being more like a vampire, being whole. And even though parts of it he didn't like, tasting blood not exactly something he could see himself doing, he had liked the darkness of it, the mysteriousness, the lure to make a woman feel…

And yet now…who needed to feel?

Who was begging to feel?

Who needed…

Who yearned for?

She was right. He was worse than a vampire. He deserved what he was getting.

His legs shaking, he got up, finding his steps not straight. He felt himself having to lean against the railing as he slowly…weakly walked away.

The malevolent hiding wind laughing at him all the while.

_I'll be back…_

I**+&-**I

_**+Silent replies that swirl invitation… **__**  
**__**There's an unceasing wind that blows through this night… **__**  
**__**Silence that speaks so much louder than words-**_

I**+&-**I

Sighing now, she got up, looking down at her dog. "I'm tired Bear. I want to go to sleep. I just want to forget all this."

The dog looked at her sadly, followed her into the bedroom.

She moved back the blankets of her bed, wrapped herself up tightly in them, feeling her Bear lying down near her feet on the bed too, his head resting on her legs. She turned off the light. Oh…she didn't like the darkness now.

She turned it back on, wanting to sleep.

But unable to close her eyes.

Unable to face…

The Darkness

I**+&-**I

_**+Everybody has a dream **__**  
**__**everybody has a dream **__**  
**__**like a world tattoo yours is not like mine-**_

I**+&-**I

He was in a 24 hour open convenience store, walking down the aisles. A woman noticed him, a woman out late this night. She smiled at him.

He pushed his dark glasses on, looking away.

The power was his curse now. His eyes only felt for one woman.

Never before…

This…

But now…

He paid for the liquor.

Opened the bottle when outside, taking a long hard drink.

He didn't normally drink hard liquor. He wasn't accustomed to it. He didn't even like it.

It was why he coughed and half choked…

Half staggering in the dark.

Before taking another long painful swallow.

I**+&-**I

_**+You speak of my love like **__**  
**__**You have experienced love like mine before… **__**  
**__**You're uninvited-**_

I**+&-**I

She remembered now the way he had held her when she asked him to, when she told him to put his hands…there…

It had been so…

So…

She lay in her bed still now…

Her eyes open.

No sleep relief.

Too much feeling inside her now turned wrong.

I**+&-**I

_**+One world, one soul **__**  
**__**Time pass, the river rolls **__**  
**__**It's not enough, it's not enough-**_

I**+&-**I

He opened the door, falling down in the darkness, the left over contents of the bottle emptying out and spilling onto the expensive rug.

Two got up from where they had been sitting…waiting.

"Damn…Nate!"

"Nathan…we've been worried about you!"

"It's four in the morning, Nate!"

He didn't answer their anxious words. The liquid left was slinking across the carpet now. He watched it with drunken fascination, complaining loudly as they turned the lights on. _"Oh…oh…"_

The blonde haired man exchanged a look with his twin sister, watching her with a sweep of her hand getting rid of the bottle and running liquor. Grimacing, the man grabbed at his younger brother's arm, bringing him to stand, only to have him nearly fall. He grabbed at him again, bringing him to sit on the hotel's small, but elegant sofa of their suite. It was the penthouse. Only the best always. They wouldn't settle for less, ever.

"Nathan, where have you been?" The dark haired woman, Brooke, now sat next to her younger brother, looking at him with concern.

"I'm taking it she wasn't happy with whatever you said to her?" The blonde haired man, Lucas asked now, with a knowing of the answer already. It was in his brother's unhappy face and stinking breath.

He laughed bitterly, his head aching, but he didn't care. He kept his head down as he spoke it. "She never wants to see me again. She's repulsed by me, thinks I'm worse than a vampire. And she's right. We all are. Never should have come here."

"But we had to do the test Nathan." The older brother tried to speak calmly to him now.

He looked up at him, enraged. "We didn't have to. We CHOSE to. I didn't have to come here. I CHOSE to. What are we doing? What am I doing? We invaded her life that night. Don't you guys see that? Because I do now. No wonder they say the test leads some to madness, that it should be used with caution. We came here and…and you two…tonight!"

"It's technically the next day Nathan." His sister calmly informed him.

That made him explode. He got up off the sofa, even though his head felt like it was about to burst, his legs barely holding him anymore. He was weak now for more reason than one. "Both of you with your stupid witchcraft crap! Turning her dog into a worm, making her upset! And then…then you…what you did next…" He faced them now, taking off his glasses, revealing eyes that needed sleep, aching.

"You took her back. You MADE her see the test! How could you do that? Didn't you think? We could have left and she never would have known."

"But Nathan…we had to." His sister spoke to him now. "She's the one. She has to know how it started. The invasion is if we don't let her know the truth. She has to understand it before she can give you what you need."

He laughed at that, holding his aching head in his hands. "OH CRAP! It's not going to happen! You hear me? You selfish WITCH…it's not going to happen!"

The older brother got up now, seeing the shock in his sister's eyes. He was feeling his own. Never had he seen Nathan like this, so dark, so…turmoiled, and yet vicious. He moved to his twin now, holding her against him, speaking defensively. "Don't you take it out on her. She loves you. We're your family."

"My family? MY HALF family. It's a HALF. I only have HALF. I AM ONLY HALF."

"Nathan, stop it!" Brooke was now crying, seeing his pain, hearing him speaking this way…causing them pain. "We love you. We've never NEVER thought of you as only half. We-

He was out of control now though. All the viciousness in him about what had happened before, about what was to come…it exploded outside of his body now. "You know you're part of what I HATE? Both of you."

_"You better stop Nathan. Don't go too far."_

He laughed at his brother's warning, viciously snarling at both of them. "You are. Because you're part of HIM. He killed my father. He made our mother go insane. He set me up with this…this…FUCKING CURSE. I hate…hate…I hate him. I should just hate you two also. I should just…" He waved with his hands now, trying to make every part of shocking witchcraft he knew, work. It was only moments before it overtook him. He was too weak. The craft was escaping him. It did now as it made him limply fall to the floor, gasping for breath.

"Nathan!"

Lucas reached him first, getting down on his knees and holding on. In seconds his sister joined him on the other side of their younger brother. By blood, only half. In their hearts, nothing less than whole.

He half whimpered, _"I can't even do it anymore. It's all escaping me. But I don't care. All I care is I hurt her tonight. I didn't want to. I wanted to try to love her. I think I could have fallen in love with her. She's so beautiful…inside and out…I wanted…damn…wanted…it's ruined now though. She hates me._ Shit…she's scared to death of me!"

Brooke reached for him and held him against her while Lucas sat by supportively.

Brooke spoke first. He'd always been the most sensitive of them. She'd known that when he fell under love's spell…it would be like this. He would fall hard. But his pain now…

"We love you Nathan. We love you. It's okay."

"We'll find another."

He shook his head adamantly, his voice trembling with weakness and sad resolve. _"No…I don't want to."_

"Nate-"

Nathan cut him off, sitting up now and facing his older brother fiercely. "It's over. She's right. All I do is make someone feel what I want them to feel. I came here to save myself. It's just selfish and wrong. I can't do it again. I can't…not after what I did to her. It's over. I'd just rather let it go anyway."

He got up now, half staggering weakly, a bit of shame crossing over his features. "I said what I probably shouldn't have said…here…tonight. I just…I can't do it again. I'm giving up. I don't care anymore."

Brooke tried to stop him, but her twin pulled her back. "Let him go Brooke. He needs to sleep it off. It's partly the drinking making him all morose…making him say what he said. It'll be better in the morning."

She faced him with worry. "But what if when he wakes it's the same Lucas? We have days…ONLY DAYS LUCAS! I mean maybe it's selfish, maybe he's right about that, but we had no choice. Because of HIM we have no choice. Only…_she_ brought a a bit of relief…but if we're not successful, if we can't-

"I know."

"Is it possible…the test was all wrong? Remember what we substituted. Maybe it was all a sign when this woman wasn't alone, how she won't let Nathan in. Maybe she's the wrong person."

He frowned, troubled. "Maybe."

"And if it was?"

"We'll have to do it again. Just this time…"

"What?" She questioned anxiously at his concealed look.

"We won't tell him. We'll find her first."

I**+&-**I

_**+Weakened at the moment of truth… **__**  
**__**His step has faltered… **__**  
**__**A grim intimation of what is to be-**_

I**+&-**I

The bed met his body. He lay down without removing his clothes, lay down on top of the blankets. Seeing her face in his mind.

_"I'm sorry…Beautiful."_

I**+&-**I

_**+Uninvited… **__**  
**__**I don't think you unworthy **__**  
**__**I need a moment to deliberate-**_

I**+&-**I

A whisper seemed to come from somewhere. It soothed her enough to close her eyes. To finally find…

Sleep.

As he lay awake, haunted by what was to come, haunted by what he had done to…

The one he…

I**+&-**I

_**+Silent replies that swirl invitation **__**  
**__**It's not enough, It's not enough-**_

I**+&-**I

_Two beings… __Two halves… __Apart __In the darkness of this night __The darkness to come…_

I**+&-**I

_**The plus and minus all out of balance. **_

_**The curse winning… **_

_**But days still remained. **_

_**Days that could even it all. **_

_**Tell the truth of the test. **_

_**Reveal the right one. **_

_**Then again… **_

_**Perhaps reveal **_

_**A dangerous lie. **_

_**A malevolent one.**_

_More to come…_

Thanks for reading. Feedback is adored. This was a sad one definitely, but this story will bounce up and down with emotion at times.


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